


Red

by zeta_leonis



Series: Blue [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: (and a badass), Angst, Background Relationships, Blood, Clizzy - Freeform, Detailed fight scenes, Eventual Smut, Fluff, I couldn't actually write it, IN DETAIL, Loads of Angst, M/M, Raphael is still a bit of a prickly cactus, Saphael, Secondary character backstory, Softcore Sex, Violence, also explicit sex later on, bc i need to fill some gaps left by me not having enough of the main plot, bc yeah, blood mentions, i guess, it's too hard, look at this tag clusterfuck, mentions of rape/non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-07-14 09:53:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 29,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7166399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeta_leonis/pseuds/zeta_leonis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Red is the colour of many things -<br/>Of fire;<br/>Of blood;<br/>Of love;<br/>And baby, my heart burns red with love for you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blood

No one saw it coming. That night, the fall of Dumort began. 

\--

Kaden was sitting in his room, a copy of ‘Game of Thrones’ in his hand.  It was peaceful, and quiet, and Axel and him hadn’t talked since that night. 

All of the sudden, he heard it. Footsteps. The hammering of running outside his room, and then someone bursting in. 

“Maxwell, run! It’s an attack!” 

Kaden stood up immediately, and ran outside, where he saw the whole clan rushing out. 

“Everyone, listen up!” He hollered, trying to stay as calm as possible. He needed to give a good image, to try to appear relaxed. “Stay! I know it’s not what we’re used to, but we have to take back what’s ours. We know this place better than anyone else, we know how to defend this place better than anyone else. Tonight,” he paused suddenly, because he wasn’t sure of what to say, but then he noticed something. A woman, one of the newest members of the clan, biting her nails, scared for her life. A few new members were looking up at him with wide eyes. “Tonight, we fight. Tonight, we fight for our home, for our dignity, for our honour!” 

There was a roar of unison from the crowd, and then they all stood their ground, waiting for further orders.

“Barricade the exists. If you have weapons, use them. Those who don’t know how to fight, room 789, and stay there ‘til further orders. I need a group of three others to come with me. There might be some that are still near the enemy--act fast! Go!” Kaden said, and quickly, everyone got to work. He didn’t even know he could be so--leader-like. They still had to find out where the attack was from, but they knew it was from the back end of Dumort. Kaden took three of the best with him, and then they ran as fast as possible, checking every room. 

He then had a thought--Axel. 

The blonde moved quickly, and he remembered: he had a sword. It was a very special one, made out of the same material as demon blades, forged in the fires of Hell. He was so used to it being in his belt, the familiar weight of it, the feeling of it pressing against his leg, he’d forgotten. Now, it felt more like an alien object than ever, and he was aware of it as he moved, as he ran opening doors, making sure everyone did as told. 

Kaden went back, towards the back of the hotel, where everyone was fleeing from. 

He didn’t find Axel, but he found the intruders. 

They were definitely vampires, and some were familiar faces...the Crest clan? No. No way. They’re allies, they--the marriage--the treaty--

Well, they definitely didn’t seem like allies when one of them lunged at Kaden, demon blade in hand. 

Kaden wasn’t physically strong, not exactly. But he was fast, and his reflexes were uncanny. He attacked like a viper, his precision when delivering blows unlike any other vampire. 

He dodged, unsheathing his sword, and then jumped, sending a blow to the other vampire’s exposed neck. The attacker didn’t even flinch--he just dropped dead on the floor, blood spurting out of the open wound. 

“Who’s next?” Kaden smiled a wide smile, but it was menacing, and never reached his eyes. 

_ Silverlight  _ gleamed under the pale moonlight, now dripping in blood, which pooled on the floor with every drop. 

Another ran towards him, and swung a punch. The woman was strong, and the blow hit him in the chest. Kaden took a step back, and then kicked her knee, which made her kneel, before pulling out her feet from under her. Before she could react, he sunk  _ Silverlight _ into her stomach, and then pulled it out, cleaning it on her clothes. 

There were only three vampires left. He could do this. 

All three--two men and a woman--threw their daggers, the singing sound of them cutting through the air at high speed just loud enough for Kaden to roll to the side as one passed two millimetres beside his head.

He couldn’t do this. 

They were in one of the largest rooms. It was empty, except for a chair and a sofa, and the fireplace, filled with ash and dust. The door was to the far left side, and a large window was in the middle of the wall. 

Suddenly, the door burst open, and in stepped Axel, demon blade in hand, one of his arms limp. 

“Parr, come back to join the party, I see.” One of the men said. 

“Fuck you.” came Axel’s reply.  

Kaden was dumbfounded.  _ What is he doing here? What’s wrong with his arm? _

“Axel, I--”

“Behind you!”

Kaden whirled, and then moved to the side. Someone had jumped towards him, someone who was now looking pretty mad at missing their shot. 

The blonde took  _ Silverlight _ in both hands and balanced his weight on both feet, from side to side. His attacker--a guy named Rick--pulled out a demon blade, and swung. Kaden stopped the attack, and fought back, blocking attacks and swinging some of his own. It seemed to be going nowhere, until Kaden jumped up, somersaulting forwards (a perfect flip, Raphael would be proud), and before the other vampire could turn around,  _ Silverlight _ was buried in his back, the tip protruding from his chest. 

Kaden closed his eyes, and, just for the heck of it--took a deep breath. He saw Axel stride across the room, his own blade covered in blood. Axel, wordlessly, stepped in front of him, looked him in the eyes, and put an arm around his waist, pulling him up to kiss him. Kaden gave in, kissing him back, putting an arm around his neck. 

“How touching,” came a voice. Axel broke the kiss. 

“Go,” he whispered, not letting go of Kaden yet. 

“No. What about you? I’m not leaving you on your own--your arm--” Kaden whispered back, looking at him with eyes filled with worry. 

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” Axel smiled, but it was a sad smile, and Kaden tried to fake that he couldn’t notice. “I always am.”

“Axel, I-I-” Kaden couldn’t finish the sentence, the words caught up in the knot in throat. His eyes were red rimmed, and he blinked back the tears. 

“Me too.” the brunette replied, kissing his cheek. “Now go. You’ve got more important things to do.” 

Kaden nodded, the unspoken ‘I’ll see you again’ between them understood with a nod. He left, with a glance back, enough time to see Axel crane his neck to either side and let out a: “Let’s dance, you son of a bitch.”

\--

“Santiago, Raphael Santiago.” Simon opened his eyes slowly to find himself staring at a purple-clad Magnus Bane.

“Magnus it’s--really early…” Simon whined. It was only nine PM. 

Magnus ignored the young vampire, and shook Raphael until he woke up. 

“What. The. Hell. Do. You. Want.” Raphael glared at Magnus like he wanted to murder him. 

The warlock ignored the vampire’s antics, and cut to the chase. “I’ve got a fire message for you, from Kaden Maxwell.” 

Raphael immediately sat up. He knew that a fire message meant trouble. 

Magnus handed him the piece of paper, where, in surprisingly good handwriting, it read: 

“Come back immediately. Urgent. Dumort under attack. Crest Clan.”

Raphael shot out of bed and started gettting dressed as fast as possible. Simon read the burnt piece of parchment, and then got out of bed too. 

“Raphael, wait for me, I’m coming too--”

“No!” his husband said sharply. “It’s too dangerous. Stay here, you’ll be safe. Magnus, go warn the Shadowhunters I’m leaving.” 

Magnus did so wordlessly as soon as he saw Simon opening his mouth to retaliate. It was no use to be in the middle of a lover’s spat. 

“It’s my clan as much as it is yours now! And I  _ can _ fight, excuse you.” Simon said sassily as he jumped and squirmed to get into his jeans. 

“But not like this! It’s a full-on attack! You won’t last two minutes there. Stay here with the Fray girl, and the others. You’ll be safe here.” Raphael said, and then noticed the harshness in his voice. He pulled Simon towards him, in a hug. He messed up the younger’s hair, and then kissed the top of his head. “I’ll come back for you.  _ Lo prometo _ .”

Simon looked up at him, with worried eyes. He didn’t want him to get into fights, to possibly get injured, or--

“I’m not going to die, Simon. Stop looking at me like it’s the last time you’ll see me.” Raphael’s hand was tangled in Simon’s hair, the other around Simon’s waist. The shorter boy simply closed his eyes, and pulled Raphael down to kiss him properly. Simon kissed him like he’d never kiss him again, putting his hands on the sides of Raphael’s face and winding his hands in his hair. 

When they pulled apart, Raphael leaned his forehead on Simon’s. 

“Goodbye,” Simon muttered. 

“ _ Adios _ ,” Raphael replied, and pecked his lips before removing his hand from Simon’s hair. 

\--

Simon watched as Raphael nodded at Magnus before disappearing through the Portal. He was full of mixed feelings, but the one that stood out the most was regret. He should have told him what he felt, he should have convinced him to take him along--now it was too late. 

Or was it? 

In a sudden flash of feelings, and maybe craziness--he sprang forward across the field, running as fast as possible, the image of Dumort clear as day in his head. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, and, ignoring Magnus’ warnings and the Shadowhunters yelling out his name and one or two threats, he leaped through the Portal. 

 


	2. Burgundy

Kaden ran, sword in hand, taking out any vampires that dared come near him. 

He was worried about Axel, but he had other things to do, like help out with the fight. 

He was aware that if Archard showed up, he’d be the number one target, because that way Archard would have temporary control over the clan, until Raphael came back, Kaden hoped soon. 

But Archard wasn’t going to kill him. Though he could jolly well try. 

A window burst open beside where he was running, and he stopped dead in his tracks. 

Raphael stood before him, fists clenched by his sides, covered in blood from the glass he just broke. 

“Why did you come in through the window?” was Kaden’s first question. 

“The doors are blocked,” Raphael replied quickly. 

“Oh, right.”

Raphael gripped Kaden’s shoulder. “Kaden, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know--the Crest clan just attacked out of nowhere, and I think they came in through door D--” Kaden explained quickly. 

“Door D?” Raphael frowned. “But no-one knows where that is, or where it leads! How did they find out? Well, that’s not a priority now, we need to hurry and find Archard.” Raphael said, and Kaden nodded. 

They both then jumped over the stairs railway and fell to the ground, where there was a group of vampires awaiting them. 

Kaden and Raphael glanced at each other and then they striked. 

Raphael fell to the floor after one jumped at him, and they rolled around before he took control, climbing on top and sinking his fangs into the vampire’s throat, ripping it out. He spat, the awful taste of blood filling his mouth. 

Kaden swung his sword at another vampire, and he slashed his stomach once before gripping his hair and tilting his neck back to cut his throat. 

This went on for a few minutes, until there were at least six bodies on the floor, lying in (mainly) their own blood. Raphael and Kaden were covered in blood too, the red liquid drenching their clothes, faces, hair and hands. 

They moved on, running through corridors and halls. They came to a sudden stop down on the first floor, their feet skidding along the hardwood floor. Archard Crest stood before them, his own body covered in blood. Wounds and cuts ran along his arms and face, and as Raphael and Kaden looked downwards, they found someone struggling in his grasp. 

Simon. 

Raphael looked bewildered, his face contorting into an expression of both rage and surprise. 

Archard’s hands were around Simon’s torso, holding him in place, and the other was on the top of his head, tilting his head to the side and exposing his neck. 

Archard tutted, shaking his head. “One more step, and I will rip his throat out.” 

Raphael growled, a low, guttural sound surging from the back of his throat. His eyes were blazing, and his fists were clenching by his sides, the veins running down his neck and arms becoming prominent against his skin. 

Kaden was holding  _ Silverlight _ out in front of him, his own eyes determined, and his whole body in a stance, like a coiled spring. 

“Let. Him. Go.” Raphael grunted. He bared his fangs as an unspoken threat. 

“Or what?” Archard laughed. “You and Ken doll here are gonna hit me? Oooh, I’m so scared.” He rolled his eyes, and then tightened his grip on Simon. The young vampire was visibly uncomfortable, struggling against his captor’s grip. 

Raphael took a step forward, and Archard lowered his head down to Simon’s neck, grazing his teeth along his neck, and along the bonding bite scar. It had almost completely healed, a little white-ish mark all that was left. 

“What if I just…” Archard muttered. Simon closed his eyes and started praying, which was something he didn’t do often. 

Just then, Simon had a thought. He squirmed around a little, and then sent a kick upwards, towards Archard’s privates, and then he clamped down on his hand. Archard let go of Simon and doubled over, cursing and swearing. 

Simon ran, and hid behind a door. He wanted to help, but he thought he’d just be a nuisance. 

Raphael and Kaden both took the opportunity to attack. Raphael kicked Archard’s face, and his head snapped back, the sheer force of it sending him back. He then sent a blow to the side of his neck, and Crest grunted. He retaliated by sending a punch to Raphael’s stomach, making him stagger back. 

Kaden then jumped onto Crest’s back, pulling out his sword to slice his neck, but before he could, the other vampire slammed him into a wall with the full force of his body, making Kaden slide down to the floor with at least a broken rib. 

Raphael then attacked again, latching onto Archard’s neck and biting hard. Crest wailed in pain and then kicked Raphael in the ribs, pushing him onto the floor. 

Simon was now considering helping out, seeing as how Kaden had a purple eye and was holding onto his chest tightly, and now Archard was walking over to Raphael, who was sprawled on the floor, blood spurting out of his mouth. 

“So this was your plan? Come at me with all you got?” Archard then stepped to Raphael’s side, and brought his foot down on his outstretched arm. Raphael cried out, and Simon could hear the audible ‘snap’ as his bones broke. “I don’t think so.”

Archard Crest laughed loudly then, stepping over Raphael’s body as he trembled and shook with pain, and left, leaving them there. 

Simon checked to make sure he was safe, and then rushed over to Raphael, leaning over him. 

“Raphael, oh G-” Simon choked, and ran his hands over Raphael’s face, pushing his hair out of his face.

“I’m fine,” the older lied, coughing and spitting out blood. 

“You’re not! Your arm, it’s broken. Come, can you sit up?” Simon said, pulling Raphael’s good arm over his shoulders. He tried pulling him up, but he wasn’t strong enough, and could barely move without hurting his husband further. 

As he pulled up carefully, another person came to help, slinging Raphael’s broken arm over his shoulders and helping Simon make him stand up. 

“Kaden--your ribs--” Simon stuttered. 

Kaden flashed him a soft smile. “They’re not broken; they’re bruised. I’ll be okay.”

Simon wasn’t too convinced, but then Raphael coughed again. Simon tried walking slowly, step by step, as Raphael half-walked, half-dragged his feet. 

“Come on,” Simon whispered. “We’re almost there.”

He knew there was a door that led outside somewhere. Kaden did know where it was, and he kicked it open, the fresh outside air seeping inside. 

They had a bit of trouble with the stairs, but they made it. On the inside, they could hear Archard. 

“Your clan leader, Raphael Santiago, is dead. I, Archard Crest, am your new leader.”

Simon wanted to burst in and shut him up, but telling him that Raphael wasn’t dead would only result in him really killing Raphael, and that wasn’t a good idea. Raphael wasn’t in any condition to fight anyway. 

Simon and Kaden were surprised to see Axel sitting outside, leaning against the wall. His right arm was limp by his side and a huge gash ran from the top of his collarbone down to his hip. 

“Axel, what are you--what happened?” Kaden asked. Axel laughed dryly. 

“I got beaten up.”

“I noticed.”

He didn’t have a shirt on, and when both Simon and Kaden got a good look at him, they gasped. In his right arm, starting from his shoulder, black lines that ran along his veins crept down his arm, coiling around it. They didn’t reach his wrist, but they were halfway down his arm. 

“Y-your arm-” Simon stuttered. 

Axel looked down at it and then back up at them. “Oh, yeah, that. Demon knife.” he explained nonchalantly. 

“Axel, we need to get out of here, before Archard finds us, or we’re dead. For good this time.” Kaden rushed, and Axel stood up slowly. It was very obvious that he was in great pain. 

Simon then looked at Kaden with wide eyes. “Wait, wait, wait. What about the rest of the clan?” Simon asked. The blonde opened his mouth to speak, but Raphael cleared his throat. 

“I will come back, and I will take the clan back. I promise.” he then proceeded to faint. 

“I know where we can go.” said Simon, and, hauling Raphael up again, begun leading them to Magnus Bane’s apartment. 

 


	3. Brick

Simon pressed the doorbell. 

“WHO DARES DISTURB THE HIGH WARLOCK?” came Magnus’ booming voice over the speaker. 

“It’s me. I’ve got Raphael, he’s injured.” Simon said, and then he heard the buzz of the front door opening. Simon and Kaden struggled to haul Raphael up the stairs, but they made it. 

The door to Magnus’ apartment opened, and they were all greeted by the sight of Magnus in a bright purple t-shirt that read ‘World’s Greatest Warlock’ in sequins. 

“What happened? You didn’t tell me you were bringing company...and who the hell is he?” Magnus pointed at Axel. Simon simply groaned. 

“I don’t have time for this. Magnus, Raphael’s fainted and his arm is broken. Will you help me or not?” Simon asked. Magnus let them in, stepping aside. 

As soon as they walked in, the warlock huffed in exasperation. “Leave him on the floor, but not on the rug--it’s Turkish. And don’t sit on the couches! They’re leather!” 

They all ended sitting on the floor, laying Raphael down carefully. 

“Magnus, you have to help him, he’s--” Simon choked out, but Magnus didn’t let him finish, moving him out of the way. 

“I’ll fix him, just let me do my thing.” Magnus said. He kneeled beside Raphael, and begun moving his hands, reciting something under his breath, blue sparks flying from his fingers.

Everyone watched in awe as the warlock pressed his hands to Raphael’s chest, and they watched as the blue sparks seemed to travel under his skin from his chest to the rest of his body. 

Raphael gasped as he awoke, his eyes flying open. He sat up, his arm not broken anymore. 

“Are you okay?” Simon asked him, kneeling in front of him. 

“Y-Yeah...A bit dizzy.”

Kaden tried moving towards them, and then he flinched and held onto his chest. 

“Oh no,” said Magnus. “Don’t tell me you need healing too? Power is limited, and expensive.”

Kaden smiled nervously. “No, it’s--it’s fine.”

Raphael stretched his arm and gripped the warlock’s wrist. “Magnus, please. Do me a favour.”

Magnus seemed to think about it for a few seconds, before sighing deeply. “You owe me one.”

He wasn’t quite as ceremonious as he had been before, simply conjuring the blue sparks and touching them to Kaden’s chest. Simon heard a snap, and he knew Kaden had been lying before. 

“Th-Thanks-” the blonde stuttered, sitting back. 

Axel smiled at Kaden, trying to reach out to touch his face, but then he realised he couldn’t move his arm. 

“Wait! Magnus!” Kaden called after the warlock as he stood up. 

“Yes?” 

“Can you fix...this?” Kaden pointed to Axel’s arm, the dark lines running down his skin like ink on paper. 

Magnus was about to retaliate something about energy and money, when a look of recognition flashed on his face. He rushed to Axel’s side, to inspect what had happened. 

“Ooh, nasty. Demon blade, I presume.” he diagnosed. 

“Can you help?” Kaden asked, the slight tone of impatience clear in his voice. 

Magnus exhaled deeply and shook his head slowly. “I’m afraid not. If you had brought me to him sooner, maybe I could have done something about it, but it’s too late now, the infection has spread beyond my abilities, I’m sorry.” Kaden looked heartbroken, and Magnus felt sorry for him, since he knew what it was like to lose the one you love. He didn’t want that to happen to the vampire, and much less such a sad and slow and painful process as it would be to lose him to illness. “But,” he started, and watched Kaden’s eyes light up with hope. “I do know someone who can.”

“Who?” asked Raphael. 

“She’s a warlock. She’s old,” Magnus paused. “Very old, from before the times of the Shadowhunters old. She lives in the mountains surrounding Idris. Her name is Alethis.” Magnus explained. 

Simon had a few questions, but instead of asking them, he simply nodded. 

Magnus’ face then turned dark. “I do warn you: be careful. Age like that does things to people, changes them. She won’t look old and grey, but a word of caution: when speaking to her, mind what you say. Tell her you’re a friend of mine, and that’ll be payment enough. She owes me a favour.”

Simon did ask the question now, though. “And how are we going to get there?” 

Magnus looked at him with an ‘Are you stupid?’ look before answering. “Via Portal, of course.”

The young vampire felt his stomach flip. He was getting sick of traveling through Portals. All they did was make you dizzy. 

“Axel,” Raphael called. “Are you sure you want to do this?” 

“Yes.” Came his reply. Determined. 

Raphael then took Magnus aside, most probably to discuss details. Simon wasn’t sure what to do, so he sat on the couch whilst Kaden and Axel spoke in a low voice too. He looked down at his hands, and noticed they were covered in blood. Not his blood, but it still freaked him out a bit. He felt the gash in his cheek from when he had landed, hurtling down onto the jagged pavement and landing on his stomach, face down on the concrete floor. His hands were littered with tiny cuts too. 

Raphael then came back to them, sitting beside Simon as Magnus opened the portal. 

“You okay?” He asked, putting one hand atop Simon’s thigh. He squeezed reassuringly, and Simon limited himself to nodding, without looking at Raphael. He couldn’t, he knew he couldn’t, not after he directly disobeyed his orders, and then got him injured. The guilt in his eyes would have been too evident. 

“It’s ready now.” Magnus announced, rather solemnly considering it was Magnus.

Kaden, Simon, Raphael and Axel stood before the Portal, the riveting surface reflecting them like a distorted mirror.

“On three;” Raphael looked at everyone, and they nodded silently. Simon shyly took Raphael’s hand. “One...two...three!”

And they jumped through. 

\--

Simon and the others hurtled through the Portal, spinning as the rip in space transported them to their destination. Simon never saw the ground seemingly getting closer to him, as he had shut his eyes. Raphael landed on his feet, as did Kaden; but Simon and Axel ended on the floor. Simon felt a twig snap beneath his body, as he hit his head on the ground (again). The wound on his cheek opened again, and he would’ve felt the wind leave his chest if he could breathe. Instead, he just felt intense pain as he hit the ground, hard. 

After recovering from the initial shock, he curled his fingers. He felt wet earth and grass under his fingernails, and the smell of wet soil filled his nose. He stood up slowly, and brushed the mud off his face with one hand, whilst brushing it off his clothes with the other. 

Once he stood up, he looked around. It was almost sunrise. There were trees densely packed around them, the canopy blocking out any possible light. The trunks were only distinguishable because of a slight shadow, a contrast against the night. The only sounds were some birds chirping and the scuttling of critters around them. A cave was to their far right, by what Simon could distinguish. He heard the quiet flow of a river beside them, and some splashing and sloshing. 

“We’ll camp over there today.” Raphael indicated, pointing towards the cave. 

No one said anything, and they all trudged towards the cave. Occasionally, some drops of water fell on Simon’s head, and the dew on the moss wet his trousers when he brushed by a rock. 

They set up camp (laid on the floor) inside. Simon couldn’t stop turning over, the irregular stone bed too uncomfortable for him, since he was so accustomed to sleeping on a mattress. 

A few rays of sunlight lit up the entrance of the cave with golden light, but it didn’t reach the end, where they were sleeping. 

Simon laid looking at the rock ceiling, imagining that instead of grey stone, there were stars. His hand reached for Raphael’s, but when they touched, Raphael pulled away, pressing his hand to his chest. 

Simon turned over, and felt  _ really _ alone that night for the first time in a long while. 


	4. Merlot

When Simon woke up, he was staring at a grey stone wall. He wasn’t the first to wake up, as Kaden and Axel were whispering to each other in the dark. Simon could distinguish their linked hands, and he sighed mentally.

He slowly sat up, trying to not make much noise, as the golden light at the entrance of the cave started to give way to the silver moonlight. His back ached from the hard ground, and he stretched.

The sound must have woken Raphael up, as he stirred in his sleep, and then opened his eyes. He didn’t move too much, feigning sleep as he observed Simon’s body basked in the indirect glow of afternoon light. His neck, his arms, his torso, his messed up hair, the shape of his face, his legs…

He let his eyes wander, perfectly still.

Simon then turned to look at him and he closed his eyes again.

They all eventually got up, leaving the safety of the cave behind as they followed Raphael (the only one with the instructions on how to get there).

They ended up trudging along a field of dry grass, the forest visible again a few metres away. Simon could hear the snap of the plants beneath his feet, and the crunching of the gravel. He was behind Raphael, and after him, Axel. Finally, Kaden was at the back, looking out for anything strange. The forests of Idris were known for being the home to all sorts of creatures.

All of the sudden, a loud ‘crunch!’ was heard.

“Axel!” Kaden exclaimed, rushing forward. He put Axel’s head in his lap, and moved the hair from his head.

Raphael turned around, and kneeled beside them, as did Simon.

“What happened?” the older asked.

“I don’t--I don’t know--he just--fell!” Kaden exclaimed, obviously overwhelmed.

“He’s not conscious.” Raphael said.

“Now what?” Simon asked.

“I’ll carry him until he wakes up, or we set up camp, whichever comes first.” said Kaden, and followed to haul Axel over his shoulder. He grunted as he stood up.

“Will you be okay? I could help-” Simon offered, but Kaden shook it off.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. Let’s move.” Kaden replied.

Raphael and Simon stood up, and wordlessly, they fell into place, trudging along the dry field.

\--

They reached the forest again, and set up camp. There wasn’t a cave, so using branches and leaves, they made a makeshift tent, covering the holes in between the pine needles with their jackets.

It wasn’t spacious, exactly, but there was room for them to lie down without squishing each other too much.

Kaden took this opportunity to take Axel’s shirt off, to see if there were any injuries.

He gasped when he saw his arm. The black, winding lines wrapped around his arm, sticking out against his pale skin. They now went all the way to his fingertips, tainting his nails with black.

“No…” Kaden whispered. “No, no, no, _no!_ ” He punched the ground, and then tried to relax. Simon saw the tears threatening to spill in the blonde’s eyes.

 _We need to speed up if we want to get there on time_ , Simon thought, looking sadly at Kaden, who was lying on Axel’s chest, hugging him.  

Raphael lied down, facing away from Simon. The younger tried sleeping too, but he couldn’t, naturally. He left the tent, stating he was going to ‘watch out’ for the day.

He got out as soon as the first rays of sunshine appeared over the horizon, bathing everything in gold light.

 _I mean, I guess I know why he’s mad at me..._ Simon pondered. _I disobeyed him, and went through the Portal, and put their lives in danger. Both Raphael and Kaden got hurt because of me...I will do as I said in Idris. I will do as he wishes...but first I need to apologise. If only he’d talk to me._

He looked up at the sunrise, curled up with his knees up to his chest, unable to fall asleep.

\--

When Clary was eight, and she got sad or frustrated, she’d get Simon, go into the bathroom and put on what her friends called ‘whore red’ lipstick, and she sang loudly to old Backstreet Boys songs she found in her mom’s room.

Now, however, she had no Simon, no ‘whore red’ lipstick, and no Backstreet Boys songs. Instead, she had a sketchpad and the art set Simon had gotten her for her birthday.

She recalled the events from just that morning, and she let them inspire her drawing.

\--

She ran as fast as she could, and then she jumped over the bench, propelling herself forward with one foot as she somersaulted forwards, arms splayed at her sides for balance, a _seraph_ blade in each hand.

Clary landed in a crouch and she stood quickly, whirling around and throwing _Sammandriel_ , which landed right in between the demon’s eyes. The Hellhound wailed, and the piecing, ear-splittting sound made Clary cover her ears and shut her eyes tightly. The Hellhound in mid-jump plummeted to the floor on foot for a few seconds before its knees gave way.

When the Hellhound finally collapsed on the floor, dead, the redhead pulled the seraph blade out of its skull, and cleaned it with her jacket.

She heard the door of the church open, and she went back to a fighting stance, tensing her body, one foot in front of the other.

“Chill Clary, chill.”

“Isabelle, what are you doing here?” Clary asked, sheathing _Sammandriel_ and _Haziel_.

The brunette laughed. “I came to save your butt, but it seems you’ve already taken care of that.”

“Yeah,” Clary said, dismissively.

Lately they’d been a bit distant with each other, since the kiss. Clary had tried to distance herself by spending all her free time with Jace, and Isabelle had been attending every single Friday night party Magnus threw.

“How come neither of the guys came with you?” Isabelle asked.

“They were doing something else.” Clary replied, seemingly absentmindedly. “Besides, I’ve got experience now. I can handle a couple of Hellhounds.”

“Oh, really?” Isabelle raised an eyebrow.

Clary didn’t reply, and instead chose to step over the demon’s carcass and start walking back.

“Clary, wait.” Isabelle said reaching her arm out and grabbing Clary’s.

The redhead paused for a moment, but then shook the other girl’s arm off and kept walking.

Isabelle then reached for her jacket and forcefully turned her around. “I said, _wait_.”

“What do you want?” Clary huffed.

“I want you to look at me when I’m talking to you!” Isabelle exclaimed, her own frustration showing. “I want you to sort out what the hell’s going on here!” She motioned between the two of them with one hand.

Clary closed her eyes, distressed. “I don’t know!” Isabelle let go of her arm, and she sat on one of the benches in the church. “I don’t know, Izzy. I really don’t.”

Isabelle sat beside her, taking Clary’s chin between her fingers. “We should figure it out then.”

“Yeah,” Clary mumbled, leaning in at the same time as Isabelle. “We really should…”

Their lips met, and Isabelle slowly threaded her hand in Clary’s hair, whilst the other moved to her waist, to pull her closer. Clary let her, putting her own hands around Isabelle’s back.

Isabelle pushed Clary down as their lips moved against each other’s, sliding her hand from the redhead’s waist downwards, slowly…

“Isabelle, stop.” Clary whispered. “Not here; not now.”

The brunette nodded and sat up.

“I-I have to go now.” Clary stuttered, and stood up, jumping over the back of the bench and then promptly opening the door, leaving Isabelle inside.

_She’s so different from Jace, and not just because she’s a girl. Her kisses are so...soft, and so intimate, in a way. No matter how much emotion there’s behind it, it’s always gentle. With Jace it’s mainly rough, pent-up passion. I need to make up my mind..._

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this was so short but I'm actually kinda busy at the moment (yes, I know it's summer, but I promise next week I'll be less busy).  
> Feedback is always appreciated loves :)


	5. Currant

Raphael pulled his jacket off the branches, shaking it and wiping it down to get rid of the pine needles before putting it on. 

He saw Simon walk out of the tent and start picking the tent apart with him. 

The young brunette didn’t look at him and instead removed branches with trembling hands and fidgety looks. 

_ What’s he doing? _ Raphael thought.  _ If he wants to talk, he should just talk to me...I’m not going to be the one to initiate conversation.  _

Their hands brushed as Simon picked up a branch, and the younger looked up to face Raphael. Their eyes met, and Simon tried as hard as possible to maintain that gaze, he ended up shying away. 

Finally though, Simon did speak up. “Raphael…we need to talk.” 

Raphael said nothing, and instead chose to make a sound similar to a hum, as if he were agreeing. 

“I - I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you and went back.” Simon stuttered. “And - and I’m sorry you got hurt because of me I didn’t meant to, I just…” the younger vampire sighed deeply. “I couldn’t stay there, safe, when I knew you’d be in danger.”

Raphael’s eyes turned to slits, an ice-cold tone creeping onto his voice. “And your best idea is to jump in with me?”

“I - I couldn’t stand the thought of not being with you when our lives were on the line.” Simon’s fists were clenched by his sides. He looked up to see Raphael staring back at him. 

“You,” he started, stepping closer to Simon. “are such a dumbass.”

Simon suddenly saw himself embraced. He closed his eyes and hugged back, twisting his fists into Raphael’s shirt and pulling him close. 

“I’m sorry.” he whispered, breathing him in for the first time in what seemed like ages, the scent of leather and metal. “I’m so, so sorry.”

Raphael didn’t reply, just squeezed him tighter and buried his face in Simon’s hair.

\--

“Axel, you really shouldn’t - you can’t move your -”

“Shh, I’ll be fine.” 

Axel walked down the small, grassy incline that led to the river. He took his shirt and his trousers off one-handedly, sitting down on the plants and kicking them off. His arm ached like hell, tiny little daggers stabbing into him 24/7. When he finally pulled them off, he walked into the river. 

The cold water stung, and it made his feet go numb. He walked forwards for a bit as Kaden watched, an amused look on his face, eyebrows raised and mouth in a straight line. 

“See?” the green-eyed vampire said, laughing nervously. “I can do this - ah!”

He slipped on a slippery moss covered rock and fell backwards. As he fell, Kaden darted forwards, catching him before he dropped. The water reached the blonde’s knees. 

Kaden smiled smugly. “I told you so.” 

“Shut up.”

The blonde sat down on the grass, legs in the water and Axel between them. 

“Y’know,” Kaden broke the comfortable silence, the silence filled by the sound of water running and leaves rustling. “You still haven’t asked me out.”

Axel turned around from his sitting position in the water to look at him. “Do I have to?”

“I mean - I guess. If you want it to be formal and all.”

Axel turned around from his position in the water and looked up at Kaden. “Kaden Maxwell,” he started, looking deep into his eyes. “will you do me the honour of being my boyfriend?”

“Yes.” Kaden replied, and then put his hands on either side of Axel’s face before pulling him up to press their lips together. 

After a five minute make-out session, Kaden pulled away. 

“We should go back and see if Raphael and Simon are alright.” 

Axel smiled. “Forever the caring mom.”

Kaden blushed. “Shut up.”

The blonde helped him out of the water and back into his clothes. They bumped foreheads every now and then, causing them to laugh. The happy-go-lucky aura followed them as they stumbled towards where they’d set up camp, but once they got there, it dissipated into thin air. 

The former clan leader and his husband were surrounded by a group of twelve to fifteen vampires. Sharp spears and strung arrows were pointed at them from all directions, all the people gathered around them baring their fangs as a sign of defiance. 

Kaden and Axel hid behind some trees as they watched the scene unfold. The blonde locked eyes with Raphael for a split second, but in that fraction of time, he could see what the look in his eyes meant. 

_ Run.  _

And so, they did, Kaden pulling at Axel and trying to make sure they wouldn’t trip and/or fall over as they rushed through the woods, looking over their shoulders every now and then to make sure they weren’t being followed. They ran and ran for at least half an hour, stopping for a few seconds before starting again. Kaden ran beside Axel, half-pushing, half-dragging him along. They finally reached a clearing and they stopped, looking around to make sure they were alone. 

“Wh - what just happened?” Kaden was confused to say the least. He had just lost sight of his best friend and had left him there to - most likely - die, he was too far away and too weak to do anything, and now they didn’t have directions to get to the warlock because only Raphael knew them. Great. He kicked a stone so hard it flew into a tree and it left a dent on the trunk. 

“Kaden, relax.” came Axel’s voice, calm and soothing. 

“How can I relax?!” the blonde yelled. “My best friend’s probably dead, I can’t do anything about it and now you’re going to die too and it’s all my fault for being an incompetent -”

He was suddenly pulled into an awkward, one-armed hug. 

“It’s not your fault.” Axel whispered. “There’s nothing you could have done.” he pulled away to look at Kaden’s pained expression. “There were too many of them, and you couldn’t have fought them - I’m in no fit state to aid you either. And we’ll figure out the way to help me not die.”

Kaden willed his lips to smile, but all he got was a slight twitch. 

\--

“Our orders were to take anyone we found back to Headquarters,” one of the bigger men told a scrawnier looking guy. “alive.” He seemed to stress the last word, as if it were a warning. 

“Fine.” the shorter guy reluctantly agreed. 

Both Simon and Raphael were pushed onto their knees, and then a foot was pressed to each of their backs, shoving their faces into the dirt. 

“Do you know who I am?” Raphael exclaimed, struggling as someone stood behind him and tried to bind his wrists. “I am Raphael Santiago, leader of the New York Clan, and this is my spouse, Simon Lewis! We are protected by the Nephilim -”

Suddenly, he received a harsh kick to the stomach, sending him onto the ground on his side.

“Raphael!” Simon shouted, trying to move towards him, but unable to by someone yanking hard on his shirt. He watched with pained eyes as his husband was kicked a few times more. He watched, helpless, as Raphael’s face contorted into agony. 

“Shut it.” The taller man from before spoke up. “The Nephilim and your ‘Accords’ -” he said the last word in a mocking voice. “- don’t matter to us. This is a land unbound by law. Now don’t speak unless you want your tongue cut off.”

Raphael swallowed and allowed his wrists to be tied with rope, looking up at Simon, smiling sadly. He mouthed the words  _ ‘We’ll be okay’  _ before they were both shoved onto their feet roughly. 

Simon didn’t believe those words, but he smiled back and nodded, even though he knew his smile never reached his eyes. 

\--

They were pretty much dragged along the forest wordlessly. Their eyes were blindfolded a few metres away from what must’ve been the headquarters the men were talking about. 

Simon stumbled once when he was pushed up some stairs, and before he fell, he was caught by someone. He mumbled out a ‘Thanks’, but it was never returned. He didn’t expect it to be. 

They were once again jammed onto their knees, and it hurt this time. Instead of soft dirt and grass, Simon felt cold stone under his legs. His blindfold was removed, and the first thing he did was squint. Moonlight poured in from a window in the wall in front of him, and he blinked a few times. He then turned to look at Raphael, who looked like he was two seconds away from committing murder. Simon noticed the purple-ish mark on his cheek, and how he was wincing and trying to rest his weight on one leg.

Now  _he_ felt two seconds away from murder.

Simon looked up to see someone looking down at them. He was blonde, yellow cat-like eyes locking with his in an intense stare. He dressed in jeans and a leather jacket, similar to the one Raphael currently wore. 

“Who are you?” The man asked. 

Simon opened his mouth to answer, but he was interrupted by the blonde man standing before them. 

“Wait.” the man smirked coldly. “How rude of me to not introduce myself. I am Elliot Skye, leader of the Skye Clan. And you are now my prisoners.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hii!! Sorry I was away for two weeks, but I also deserve my own beach holiday :) I am off again for the first two weeks of August because I'm going to Ireland so...  
> I hope you're all having some wonderful holidays! I'm having a blast writing and watching anime (I love Psycho - Pass so much you do not understand. I low-key hate SAO tbh).   
> Hope you like this chapter! Sorry I left it on a cliffhanger! (Not really, I like watching you suffer) (*insert evil laugh here*)


	6. Auburn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aida uploading twice in the same week whaaaat? This is impossible!  
> Nah, I just reeeeeeeally got inspired by your lovely comments :) 
> 
> Also, hiii Ely! Thanks for all the motivation and the nice stuff and being a vv nice caring friend :D <3

“Prisoners?” Simon’s voice rang loudly in the large room. “What do you mean, ‘prisoners’?” 

Elliott explained. “You were caught in our territory, uninvited.” 

Simon’s mouth fell open, the inside dry. “B - but -”

“Ah, no ‘but’s.” Elliott said, stepping closer to them. He put a hand under Simon’s chin and forced him to look up at his eyes. Golden eyes peered at him beneath the blonde locks. Freckles dotted his face. 

Raphael snarled, when he saw the other vampire touch his husband, touch his Simon. 

Elliott lost interest in Simon and turned to look at Raphael, who hadn’t lifted his head since he got there. 

“And you are…?” Elliott smiled sarcastically, mockingly, and Simon wanted to punch that smile off. 

Along with a few teeth. 

“Don’t touch him.” Raphael growled, still refusing to show the man his face. 

“Oh, I see.” the tone in the blonde’s voice was wicked and teasing. “Then would you mind if I did...this?” Simon tried moving away when Elliott held his chin in a strong grasp with his fingers, forcibly making him look up. The brunette whimpered and shook his head, wriggling and thrashing as best as he could - though it was no use. Elliott lowered his head so his lips were right at the shell of Simon’s ear, and he licked around it, all whilst Simon tried shaking his head and Raphael stared daggers at him. 

Elliott finally pulled away, and Simon felt disgusted, to say the least. He could feel it, the black, imaginary grime crawling all over him, beginning from his ear, making him feel tainted, dirty,  _ loathsome. _

“And yet, the real question is: who are  _ you _ _?”_ The blonde walked away from Simon and stood directly in front of Raphael. 

“You want to know who I am?” Simon saw Raphael grin maliciously. “I am your worst nightmare. Or am about to be.”

Elliott laughed. “Ooh, feisty.” he put his hands in Raphael’s messy, disheveled hair, and Simon bit his lip to try and not say anything. How dare he. “Well then, let’s see what ‘my worst nightmare’ looks like.” he then yanked hard at Raphael’s hair, pulling his head back. 

And he staggered back in shock. 

“Oh - oh my God - it’s -” his mouth had fallen open, and his eyes were wide with surprise. His face was a mix of bewilderment and fear as he opened and closed his mouth trying to say something, anything. 

Raphael smirked at him, eyebrows quirked. “Do you believe me now?”

Elliott didn’t reply, he merely clenched his fists and stared at the floor. “Who - was the idiot - that captured  _ Raphael Santiago?!” _ his voice boomed and echoed around the whole room, and the guards at the door behind them audibly gulped. “Guards, untie these men, now!” 

The two men that had captured them before - the tall, broad one and the lanky one - rushed to aid them, undoing the knots that bound their wrists. Simon smiled at them, cheekily, and they huffed before getting a dirty look from their leader. 

“I am so, so sorry.” the blonde rushed to apologise. “I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine.” Raphael lied. 

“Let me - let me make it up to you. To both of you.” 

Simon caught Elliott stealing glances at him, and once his eyes travelled to his neck, he gasped. 

“Is he -” he signalled between the two of them. “- are you…?”

“Yeah,” Raphael basically growled. “we are.”

“Stay the day. You’ll be able to leave again in a few days. Rest. I’ll give you the best room we have.” Elliott offered, and Simon nodded, tired, weary. 

“Okay.” Raphael accepted. 

Another vampire rushed into the room, one with light auburn hair that fell over his left eye and fidgeted nervously, eyes darting all over the place. 

“Whitefield, take these men to room 223.”

“Y - yes, sir.” the boy said, and then spun on his heel, and Raphael and Simon walked out behind him. Raphael smiled at him as they walked through the corridors, and Simon smiled back. 

They were led up some stairs, up to a room with the numbers 223 painted on the door in black paint. They stepped into the large room. A king-sized bed to the right, windows covered by curtains towards the back. It had wooden floors, ceiling and walls, and a small bookshelf nailed above the bed. 

“I - if you need anything, just ask.” the boy said nervously, standing at the door. 

“Sure,” Simon said kindly. “thanks.” 

The boy nodded and left in a hurry, closing the door behind him. 

“Man,” Simon sighed, falling onto the bed. “this was...unexpected.”

“I know.” Raphael laid down beside him, pulling him in close. 

Simon looked up at him, a worried look in his eyes. “What about Kaden? And Axel?”

“I’m sure they’re fine. They’re very capable, y’know. I’m pretty sure Kaden’s even better than me at this ‘surviving in the woods’ thing.” Raphael laughed. 

Simon didn’t respond, merely hummed and pressed his head into Raphael’s neck. The latter rested his head atop his head and kissed the top of it, both of them quickly falling asleep as the first rays of daylight kissed the forest. 

\--

Simon woke up a few hours later, alone.

Well, not really alone. Simon, when he sensed that Raphael wasn’t there, instead opening his eyes to see, rolled around the bed with his eyes closed, wrapping the sheets around himself like a burrito. And since there was nobody there to stop his fall, he fell off the bed onto the floor. That’s when he opened his eyes and saw the boy from earlier looking at him, panicked. 

“Oh dear! Mr. Lewis sir, are you alright?” 

Simon’s mind was still hazy from having just woken up - and falling onto the floor. “Uh - you can call me Simon.” he blinked, and narrowed his eyes. “What happened?”

“You - uh - rolled in the bed and then fell of it, Mr. - Simon.” 

Simon laughed lightly at that, thinking to himself,  _ I’m such a moron. _

“Can you help me out of these sheets?” Simon mumbled, embarrassed. 

Wordlessly, the boy began unravelling them, slowly freeing Simon from his self-made textile cage. 

“Uh - thanks...dude?” Simon groaned at his choice of words. 

“Aaron. My name’s Aaron, Aaron Whitefield.”

“Where’s Raphael, by the way?” Simon inquired. 

“Elliott requested an audience with him.”

“Oh.”

Eventually, Simon’s thoughts drifted back to Aaron before asking, “Whitefield? Sounds like a Shadowhunter name.”

“Oh,” Aaron laughed nervously. “never thought anyone would notice.”

Simon nodded absent-mindedly, when he looked down at his neck and arms, and saw the ugly white scars there, littered across his skin. Getting runes removed was painful, and anything but pretty. He’d seen pictures of people whose runes were stripped, and it looked exactly like this. There were scars on his arms, neck and hands, and that was as far as he could see. 

“You were a Shadowhunter before, right?” Simon asked, tugging at Aaron’s arm before he stood up. 

“Uh - yeah, it was quite some time ago.” the green-eyed boy said, before taking the sheet and folding it nervously. 

Simon smiled at him kindly. “You don’t have to talk about it.”

“Nah, it’s fine. You’re the first to notice - other than Elliott and the people that brought me here. I’ll tell you, it’s not triggering or anything, don’t worry.” Aaron offered him a small twitch of his lips upwards. 

“I - um - I was twenty five at the time, and my friends and I were on a ride in Brocelynd forest. Someone dared me to go out into this forest, and stay the night. I accepted, being a stupid guy and all - and ventured out here. Elliott must have been out that night, and since he saw me there, in his territory, just casually sleeping, he attacked me. 

“I tried to defend myself, but it was useless - I caught his arm in my mouth and bit so hard it bled. After that, he left, cackling away. And I knew I was done for. 

“When I got back home the next day, I told my family, and they forced me to get my Runes removed. They were strict about the purity of Nephilim blood, but -” he paused, a fond look in his eyes. “- they wanted me to live above anything. As you know, Downworlders can’t bear the Runes, so we removed them as quickly as possible, and then they did the whole burial thing. My sister offered her blood as my first bite, and I don’t think I could ever repay her.

“After that, they left me out here, and maybe since Elliott is my sire, I got drawn to here by some sort of - attraction, I guess? I don’t know. He took me in - and - uh - here I am now.”

“That’s a long story. It’s sad though.” Simon stared at his hands, unknowing of what to say. “Do you miss them? Your family?” he asked, breaking the silence. 

“Sometimes. When I look at my scars, I’m constantly reminded of my past life. I can’t escape it, ever. But it’s alright. I’ve moved on.” Aaron’s smile was sad, nostalgic. 

“Oh. Elliott doesn’t really strike me as the kind of person to take someone new in.” Simon commented. 

“He’s not. I wonder why he took me in...why he took you in.” Aaron scratched the top of his head. “I’d be weary of his kindness if I were you…it’s like the calm before the storm.”

_ Oh, and what a storm did come.  _

  
  
  
  



	7. Garnet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whaaaat? So many chapters up how????  
> I'm making up for not uploading for the last two weeks + next two weeks  
> I've been writing a lot, as you can tell. Like, all my free time.  
> But, without further adue, enjoy the chapter! :)

“Kaden,” Axel groaned, stretching the ‘e’. “we’ve been walking for hours.”

Kaden rolled his eyes behind him. “Yeah, and we’ll have to walk for a few hours more. Uphill.”

“But -” and Axel had to refrain himself from adding the _‘Mom’_ at the end of it. “- my arm hurts.”

Kaden waved it off. “You don’t need your arms to walk.”

The green-eyed boy mumbled something under his breath, “And you don’t need your attitude either.”

After a couple of minutes of walking (and grumbling), they stopped at the foot of a mountain. Raphael had told Kaden something about where they were going - nothing too precise though. They had to head north somewhat - towards the mountains.

Here, they rested, looking up at the mountains above them, looming, unmoving, unchanging.

“Woah. And you wanted me to go up those things before sunrise. Hah!” Axel smirked as they sought out refuge in a small cavern in the rock.

“You’re just a wuss.” Kaden said, nestling against the back of the cave. Axel leaned on his chest and rested his head in the crook of his neck.

“Shut up,” Axel mumbled, and turned his head, putting his hand on the back of Kaden’s neck and pulling him down.

Kaden smiled as they kissed, tightening his hands around Axel’s middle.

“Y’know,” Axel muttered, pulling away briefly. “As much as I love this, I don’t fancy getting it on a moist, dingy cave.” and then he added, “Ew. Moist. I hate that word.”

“No one said we were going to,” Kaden said. “Though I really wouldn’t mind doin’ the dirty someplace dirty.”

Axel smacked him when the grin creeped up the blonde’s face. “I hate you,” he said, smiling, and went back to kissing him. Their tongues met slowly, as Kaden’s hands slid further down his lover’s body, ignoring what Axel had said earlier.

“Either voice your complaints now,” he accentuated that with a roll of his hips. “or remain quiet forever.”

“I talk too much anyway.”

They didn’t really get too far, on the grounds of ‘If-you-think-I’m-putting-my- naked-butt-on-this-floor-you’re-delusional’.

Every time Axel bucked up into Kaden’s hand, the latter chose to whisper into his ear, into his skin now wet with sweat.

_“You’re so perfect.”_

_“Look at yourself, coming undone for me alone.”_

_“How did I get lucky enough to have you?”_

And overcome with everything, with one hand still looped around Kaden’s neck, he arched back into him and let his head rock back onto his shoulder as he whispered something Kaden would never forget. _“I love you.”_

_Huh?_

_This must be a joke, a misunderstanding, he’s just saying that because we’re having sex, this isn’t true_ , he thought to himself, trying not to panic as he quickly re-did all of Axel’s shirt buttons.

“What’s the rush?” Axel stretched (as best as possible) and pressed a lazy kiss to his neck. “Are you okay?”

Kaden fidgeted nervously with the shirt. “Yep.”

“You only say ‘yep’ when you’re not okay.” he pauses to look up at him, an endearing look on his face. “As if I wouldn’t have noticed.”

“I - um - I -” Kaden scratched the back of his neck and swallowed thickly. He looked away, averting his gaze, as if looking at Axel would make all the feelings inside tumble out.

“Is it because of what I said before?” Axel whispered softly, and, as best as possible, turned himself around so he was facing Kaden, what with the limp arm and all. He was sitting on his knees, slightly raised so he was looking down at his boyfriend. “That I love you?”

Kaden closed his eyes and said nothing, acted oblivious to it all, when in reality, the faint ghost of his heartbeat was haunting his chest, in more ways than one.

“Listen to me.” Axel commanded. And Kaden didn’t refuse. He opened his own blue eyes to stare at the deep green whirlpools above them, each a different side of nature -  five minutes ago they showed a carnal one, now it was an emotional one.

“I have loved. I have been loved. I have betrayed trust and broken ties, and I have been betrayed and people have broken ties with me. But you, are not like them.

“Before Raphael, in my mortal life, I had loved. And after Raphael, I thought I never would. I don’t know why I was so hung up on him, why I did those awful things to Simon - maybe I never wanted to accept that I was capable of moving on, that someone had made my walls come tumbling down, little by little, because I vowed I’d never let anyone break them, I’d never let anyone break _me._ Never again.

“I grew to love you, and I have for so long. When I saw you standing up for Simon, blazing in fury, in that way you always do, in that manner that one can almost see the wings of fire on your back, splayed in rage - I knew that the walls weren’t coming up. I gave up on rebuilding them. When I left the ugly scars on your face, I wanted one thing and one thing only - to mend the ties I broke.

“I am so, so sorry. I hurt you so badly, and someone like you doesn’t deserve it, you don’t deserve it, because your heart is bigger than your body.

“Raphael and I clashed, no matter how little I wanted to accept that fact: we’re both too rash, too harsh, too impulsive, too hostile, too emotional, too _much_. But you’re my rock in the tempest, you’re the breeze that calms my burning skin, the water that quenches my thirst and heals my dry lips. So let me say this one more time: I -”

“Me too,” Kaden replied quickly, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him in for a hug. “Me too.”

Axel wiped his tears with his thumbs, rubbing circles into his cheeks, arguably wetting them more, arguably not caring.

“When did we become this soppy?” Axel asked, laughing, wrapping his own arm around Kaden and holding him for a long while. He wanted to aim for forever, but his knees were tired and his arm hurt and they both wanted to lie down and sleep. And that’s what they did.

They untangled from each other and proceeded to - not without difficulty, mind you - lie side by side, Kaden’s arms around Axel, holding him close until sunlight tinged everything with an early morning yellow glow.

They woke up in the late hours of the evening. Kaden mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, and Axel groaned and yawned. 

"Kaden," he whispered, voice insistent yet tired, as if speaking hurt, once he looked down at his half-opened shirt. "Kaden, look."

The blonde blinked a few times before running his fingers over the shirt and moving it to the side. 

The black, inky trails that ran through his veins had expanded to the right side of his chest. The disease was travelling up his body, convoluting and twisting itself under his skin, beginning from his right shoulder to his arm and chest, now travelling downwards and to the left. If it reached his heart, reversing it was near-impossible. Once it reached his head, he was done for. 

"Axel, come. Stand up." the blonde croaked. 

It was hard to speak for Kaden too. The physical pain he was feeling was similar, in a way - a sharp pang in his heart that refused to go away, panic, dread, _desperation_. Small daggers, splinters, that burried themselves deeper in his chest whenever he remembered why he was here, on the forests bordering Idris, why he hadn't stopped walking in ages. It was a do or die situation, and the latter was not an option. 

So with everything he had, he hauled Axel up, slung his healthy arm over his shoulders and begun walking outside of the cave. 

 

  
  



	8. Ruby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, um...there will be brief mentions of rape/non con in this chapter, so if you don't want to read that, you can go to the end, where there's a brief summary of the chapter.  
> I don't want anyone to be triggered, or feel uncomfortable.

Aaron walked by their room in silence. He saw the door was open ajar, just enough for him to listen without being seen. And he knew he shouldn’t listen but nothing really happened in this clan, and if there were some sort of commotion (any would do, really), he wanted to be the first to know.

So, against his best instinct, he pressed his ear to the space in the door and listened.

“Raphael, what did Elliott want from you? Aaron told me he ‘requested an audience’ with you or whatever.” he heard Simon say.

Raphael replied with ease, “Nothing much - stuff about when we’re leaving, how we got here and such.”

_What a blatant lie._

Aaron was sure Simon wouldn’t fall for it, wouldn’t listen and question further but -

“Oh cool! By the way…” his cheerful voice faded away as Aaron stepped away from the door and leaned his forehead on the wall. He felt both light-headed and as if his head were made of concrete. He was so used to being lied to, it was almost second-nature for him, but to hear it happening to someone else? Especially someone as trusting as Simon. It hurt.

He regained control of himself and - unwillingly, almost - walked back to Elliott’s chambers. He hated this. He hated the life he had chosen to live.

The room door was closed, but he opened it without knocking. For now, he’d be able to withstand Elliot’s wrath. His cheek had healed already, and his legs were no longer sore. He was strong. At least, that’s what he told himself.

“Haven’t I told you to knock before -” Elliott barked, but upon setting his gaze on Aaron, he stopped and smiled. It was a sadistic smile that Aaron had seen many times before, a smile that meant pain, a smile meant for torture, both physically and mentally. But it was also a smile that sent him reeling and wantonly begging for more, even at the cost of his own well-being.

_It’s pathetic._

Aaron said nothing and walked over to the other side of the room, and began picking up some clothes on the floor next to the bed, where Elliott sat.

The brunette sent side glances to Elliott out of the corner and he noticed the unwavering, sadistic smile still etched in his face.

“Come sit, Aaron.” venom dripped from Elliott’s voice, and yet, Aaron complied. He could almost hear his joints creak, his bones, muscles, heart and soul screaming at him, _“Don’t do it!”_

He sat at the edge of the bed, and looked down at the floor, refusing to lift his eyes. If he met his gaze, only perdition awaited at the bottom of the cliff he was about to stand on.

And yet - “Look at me.”

With an iron grip on the sheets below him, he looked.

The yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness, a predatory glint, a territorial stare. Aaron was lost to these eyes, completely at their mercy. So at their mercy, that the first touch didn’t startle him.

The pain that followed after, didn’t either. He was used to it, after all. As long as he could look into his eyes, he’d be okay. The bruises on his hips would be okay. The burns on his face would be okay. The unwelcome feeling in his nether regions would be okay. The brutality with which he was handled would be okay. The swearing and insults in his ear would be okay.

After all, all he needed to do afterwards as he was leaving, after he was pushed to his limit and then past that, after he was taken against what every fiber in his body wanted, was look into those eyes that consumed him like flames.

Because this was the life he chose. Because he had dragged himself to this state. Because against the Nephilim’s code of honour, he valued his life over his mission, - but he didn’t have a holy mission anymore, did he? He was no longer a Shadowhunter - and chosen this.

Concubine to a monster.

And so, he walked out of the room feeling dizzy, his dignity shattered once again.

\--

He flung himself on his bed and closed his eyes, curling in on himself, partly in disgust, partly in tiredness. He pulled his blanket over himself and reached for the locket that hung around his neck. It contained two pictures - one of his mother, and one of his little sister.

He wondered how they were. His mother was already too old to fight, so she was now most likely living a quiet life in Idris, tending to her things. His sister would already be old enough to fight. He was sure she’d become a hardened warrior, an ideal soldier, the blood of the Angel racing through her veins.

He wondered whether Thomas was looking out for him up there, was watching him. He was sure he wasn’t proud, but Aaron liked to think he was. He missed him so, so much.

He wondered if they missed him. If they still loved him, if they still thought about him, if they kept his picture by the bed and thought about them before sleeping. He did. He pulled their pictures close to his heart and apologised everyday for the person he’d become.

\--

The next day, he rushed into the room as Raphael and Simon were kissing, Simon in the basin he’d filled with water to help him bathe.

“Oh - I’m - I’m sorry -” he mumbled and turned around, before Simon giggled slightly.

“It’s okay Aaron, what’s up?” the younger asked.

Aaron forced a smile and bowed his head. “Mr. Skye requests an audience with Mr. Santiago, sir.”

“Again?” Raphael groaned, but pulled away from his husband and turned to face Aaron. “I’ll go.”

“Do you need me to accompany you, sir?” Aaron offered, but the other vampire shook his head.

“I know how to go, thank you.” Raphael smiled and pat Aaron on the back. He turned to press a chaste kiss on Simon’s lips before leaving.

Aaron was jealous. He’d never been kissed before, and though Elliott had claimed his whole body, he’d never once kissed him. He’d licked the shell of his ear and shoved his face into the cushions, but his lips were untouched, the only seemingly innocent thing about him now.

And though he was jealous, he couldn’t bring himself to be mad, or resentful, because Simon grinned at him and beckoned him over, laughing with him and trying to lighten his mood. Though he said nothing, he could tell Simon’s eyes lingered a bit longer on the scars, bites and bruises on his neck, on the red marks on his hands and face.

“Elliott?” Simon asked afterwards, wrapped in a towel as Aaron dried his hair. “Are you alright? Are you…” he paused. “happy?”

Aaron smiled sadly. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

The _I don’t believe it_ went unspoken, but the green-eyed vampire chose to say nothing and keep doing his task. A knock on the door distracted them though.

“Aaron Whitefield, the clan leader requests your presence in his chambers immediately.” the vampire was the tall one that captured Raphael and Simon. His voice was strained, but neither of them seemed to care.

“I’m sorry, I have to -” Aaron rushed to apologise, but Simon waved it off.

“Don’t worry about me, go.”

The thing Simon didn’t know is that his feet felt like lead with every step he took.

\--

“Oh Aaron! You’ve finally come.”

Elliott sported that stupid, evil smirk of his. Raphael was trapped against the wall, his body stuck between Elliott’s limbs.

Aaron’s breath caught in his throat, and he choked his next words out, “Wh - what’s going on?”

“Would you mind sharing me, Whitefield?”

Aaron was baffled, though he said nothing. _What?_

Raphael tried saying something, but his voice was muffled by Elliott’s hand.

“Sharing me with Raphael.” Elliott’s smirk was menacing, and Raphael was staring daggers at him.

“I’m not sure I understand, sir.” Aaron replied, voice shaky, still boring holes into the floor.

“You’ll understand soon enough.” Elliott said, and pressed his lips to Raphael’s, forcefully. Raphael pushed him away forcefully, spitting on the floor. He then proceeded to kick Elliott’s legs out from under him, and kick his stomach forcefully, several times. Elliott groaned and rolled around the floor. Aaron took this as a chance to escape.

“Follow me!” he exclaimed, and Raphael obeyed, running after him. “Let’s go get Simon, and then we’re leaving!”

Raphael ran faster than Aaron, and got to the room before he did. The older vampire stormed in and grabbed Simon by the arm, no explanations, no questions asked.

“Wh - what’s going on?” Simon stuttered, confused, but they had no time to waste.

They had to leave, _now,_ before -

“Guards!” the heard Elliott holler from downstairs. “Get them!”

Aaron panicked for a minute, before tugging on Raphael’s sleeve to get him to follow him, and then he ran down the stairs that led to one of the many corridors in the lair. He ducked into a door neither Raphael nor Simon had noticed. It was dark, dingy and cold. It wasn’t illuminated, but they didn’t need light to see. Perks of being a vampire. They ran without stopping, all following Aaron’s lead. The corridor smelled like mildew and stagnant water, making Simon want to gag, but he pushed forwards, all whilst Raphael held his wrist and tugged him along.

Aaron opened a door at the end and the sudden light filled Simon’s eyes, but he still kep running, down stairs that led into the room they were in when they met Elliott. Now it was empty, and no torches were on. The green eyed vampire led them through another door, but on the other side, there seemed to be the main hall, and the door that led outside was open, looking out at a dark forest.

“Close the door!” someone yelled, and Aaron cried out in frustration and then started running as fast as his legs could carry him. Raphael’s top speed was faster though, so he and Simon sped up as the large stone doors began to close.

“Come on Aaron!” Simon turned and yelled. “Just a bit faster!”

Aaron made the mistake of looking behind him, and saw the massive army following them. He sped up, tried running faster, away from this misery and the life he led. And then someone jumped on his back, sending him to the floor. Simon turned around to try and help him, but Aaron wouldn’t let him help. Simon didn’t deserve it. He’d most likely be tortured, then killed - and he didn’t want that.

So with his last breath, the last wisps of air, he yelled, “Go! Run!” and watched Raphael tug on him once more.

The next part seemed to play out in slow motion. He was turned around, so he was facing the ceiling, and he was looking into the eyes of none other than Elliott Skye.

“Would you look at that,” he said, just loud enough to be heard over the footsteps of the vampires rushing past them. “my pet, a traitor.”

Aaron said nothing and looked away. Even in these last moments, Elliott was breathtaking. A monster, but breathtaking.

The younger vampire closed his eyes and bore his neck. He knew he was going to die, so he just wanted to make it quick, as a last request to God. Not that he seemed to hear his previous ones.

Instead, he felt something warm against his lips. Another pair on his, his first kiss. It was a bittersweet thing, a last memory, a last gift, everything he could ever want only to be taken away a few seconds later. The pain of it all, of everything he’d been through now seemingly dissipating as he felt Elliott’s lips move against his. And once he pulled away, Aaron braced himself, prayed it never had to end and then balled his hands into fists by his sides and grit his teeth when it did.

He opened his eyes and saw Elliott’s staring back at him. His life flashed before his eyes.

 

_A young boy of seven reaches for his mother, crying, his hands that once held a toy now empty. His mother kneels and pulls him in close, pats his head and rubs circles into his back. The boy stops crying eventually, though he still sniffles. His mother leans in close to his ear and whispers, “You’re my strong boy. You’re going to be better than all of them when you grow up, promise.” The kid is content for now._

 

_He’s eleven, and his best friend is sitting beside him on the wall looking out on Brocelynd forest. They hold hands, innocently, because they’re best friends so it’s fine to hold hands, right?_

_“Aaron?” his best friend asks gently, in a soft voice._

_“Mmhmm?”_

_“Have you thought about marriage?”_

_The boy doesn’t know how to reply, so he sits and thinks for a long time before answering, “I don’t care, as long as we get to be best friends.”_

_“Forever, right?” his best friend holds up his pinkie._

_The boy twines their fingers. “Forever.”_

_When his best friend kisses his cheek, he blushes slightly and tightens his grip on his hand._

 

_The boy is fifteen, and he’s slightly afraid of the Silent City, but he’ll never admit it. Especially not now, when he’s holding his arm out for a Silent Brother to draw a rune on him that will change his life. He’s staring at the boy beside him, with his own arm held out, the boy with the black hair and the freckles and the deep chocolatey eyes._

_“You nervous?” the freckled boy asks._

_“Pshht.” the boy huffs, blushing. “No.”_

_“You are.”_

_“Shut up!”_

 

_The boy is seventeen, and he’s terrified. He’s been training for this his whole life, but now that it’s actually happening, he’s paralysed._

_“Oi, Whitefield!” his best friend shouts, and rushes to him. They stand back-to-back, holding out their seraph blades as they watch the battlefield with fear in their eyes._

_A Ravener demon approaches on either side of them. Aaron waits until it’s at arms length and he swings, calling out the name of the blade, bringing it to life._

**_“Samandriel!”_ ** _he exclaims, the most similar thing to a battle cry in his head, and he jumps, his training and instincts kicking in as he cuts the stinger off. He then sinks the glowing blade into the demon’s back so deep in comes out the other side. The demon starts to shake and move before collapsing on the floor, lifeless._

_“Aaron, help!”_

_At the desperate cry, the boy whirls, only to see the most heart wrenching moment of his life take place. His best friend wasn’t so lucky, and before Aaron can run to his best friend’s aid, the stinger is already lodged in his chest. The boy runs in fury, crying hot tears of anger as he swung and slashed at the demon, cursing and screaming, cutting at it even after it’s dead._

_“Aaron,” his best friend beckons him over, lying on the floor, hand on his chest, covered in blood. He reaches out a hand to the boy and strokes his face, running his blood covered fingers over his cheek and smearing the skin in red. The tears fall freely onto his best friend, mixing with the blood on the hand still on his chest. “I love you.”_

_The boy can barely register what he’s saying._

_“No - wait -  Thomas, I can draw an iratze, you’re going to get better, I promise, we’ll get you to Idris -”_

_The boy’s best friend chokes out a laugh and gargles on his own blood. “I’m going to die, Aaron, and you know it.”_

_No, the boy doesn’t know it, doesn’t want to know it. “Thomas Ashfall, don’t you dare die on me, do you unders -”_

_His best friend cuts him off by holding up his pinkie. At this angle the boy can see the Parabatai rune, he can feel it pulsing, the immense feeling of dread and pure, unadulterated_ **_pain._ ** _“Forever?”_

_The boy nods through his tears, swallows around the knot in his throat and croaks out a weak, “Forever.”_

_The next day, he wears white for the first time, and cries at the marble stone with his best friend’s initials on it until the tears came dry._

 

_It was his friend’s stupid idea to come into this stupid forest. Now he’s not cursing at his friend, but rather at himself for letting his guard down. This vampire fights with all its strength, sending blows to his head (which he dodges pretty well). The vampire punches his mouth, and he takes that opportunity to bite his hand so hard, the metallic taste of blood fills his mouth completely._

_He then realises his mistake, and tries to spit it out, but it’s too late - the blood’s already running down his throat. The vampire laughs and laughs and laughs as he runs, and the boy knows he fucked up._

 

_Getting his marks stripped is the worst feeling in the world. It feels like ripping out pieces of him, of his skin, like they're stripping him of his muscles and flesh and thawing him down to the bone. He cries and screams and bites his tongue to stop himself from begging for mercy. The last one they erase is the almost faded Parabatai rune, and it's the one that hurts the most. It feels like his heart is getting ripped out._

 

_Elliott seduces him with coy looks and gentle touches. What the boy doesn't see are the claws beneath the soft fingers, the beast that lay dormant inside him. He pulls the boy into him with a hug, and whispers five words into his ear, "Come to bed with me."_

_The boy refuses, tries pulling away, but to no avail - he's dragged away and though he thrashes and kicks and pulls and bites, it's useless. Elliott claims him over and over until he's satisfied, and then he does it somemore._

_ And all it takes to heal the scratches, cuts, bites and marks is a look into his twin whirlpools of gold. _

Aaron reaches up a hand, and strokes Elliott’s face. He doesn’t see him. He ignores the yellow eyes. He sees Thomas, he sees the boy with the dark hair and the freckles and the deep chocolatey eyes.  

He whispers a choked,  _ “Forever.” _ right before a shriek of “Aaron!” fills his ears and Elliott’s claws slice a horizontal line along his throat. 

_ Thomas beckons him into the white light. He holds out his pinkie, and the boy takes it.  _

_ “Forever?” _

_ “Forever.” _

_ And with their fingers laced, they both walk into the blinding white bliss.  _

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is in Aaron's point of view. He has inner turmoil. Elliott tries making Raphael his - uh - concubine/mate, and Raphael beats him up. They take this chance to run, but as Simon and Raphael make it out of the lair, Aaron is caught by Elliott. He sees the most important events in his life, and he dies. He goes to heaven with his best friend. :')  
> \--  
> Comments are very much appreciated! This turned out to be a lot longer than expected.


	9. Copper

Axel and Kaden trudged along the forest, feeling their feet groan and their muscles scream with each step. They hadn't stopped walking in so many hours, plus the added difficulties of **a)** the way being uphill and **b)** the fact that Axel was finding it hard to even breathe properly. 

Kaden stopped after a few more steps, resting against a tree trunk. The trees were so densely packed sunlight didn't reach the forest floor. 

"Let's stop," he sighed, helping Axel sit before sitting himself. "I'm really famished."

Axel said nothing, and instead chose to rest his head on Kaden's shoulder and close his eyes. 

Kaden didn't rest - he chose not to, always keeping a vigilant eye out. He knew that sooner or later it would come back to bite him in the ass, as being sleep deprived was never good. Nonetheless, he placed his hand on _Silverlight_ 's hilt, and waited. 

"Kaden," Axel croaked. Kaden hummed in response. "Sleep." the brunette mumbled. 

"No." Kaden's voice was raspy, the weary tiredness seeping into it. "Someone has to keep watch." his hand gripped _Silverlight_ tighter. 

"But you need to rest." Axel mumbled sleepily, nuzzling his face into Kaden's neck. 

"No..." Kaden tried resisting, but the way Axel's hair was tickling the underside of his chin and the familiar scent of smoke and wood and sweat wafted up into his nose were impossible to say no to. 

"Please?" Axel pleaded. 

Kaden's hands went slack on his sword and he let his head lull back onto the tree behind them. "Alright." 

And with a small, happy sigh from Axel, they both fell asleep under the densely packed trees.   
\--   
Kaden gasped as cold water hit his face all of the sudden, gripping him hard and yanking him out of his sleep. He tried catching his breath by taking in large quantities of air at a time. He attempted moving his hands to push the wet hair out of his face, but then he realised they were bound. He couldn't feel anything around them - no rope, no metal. He just couldn't move them, as if someone were holding them together. His eyes flew open, and he realised he was looking at the floor made of dark teal marble. 

He looked to his side, panic quickly setting into his chest. To his right he saw nothing but more floor of teal marble along with walls of the same colour. To his left, Axel was on his knees too, and water dripped down his face and hair. 

"Axel!" Kaden exclaimed, trying to move to his side, but he realised his legs, now tucked neatly underneath him, were stuck to the floor. Literally. He couldn't move his legs. 

He looked up, forwards, and saw the legs of a man that stood before him. His skin was a deep navy tone, and he wore robes of lighter blue silk. His arms were sinewy and veins stuck out under the blue hue of his skin.  A pair of golden horns grew from behind his ears, and his eyes were like goat's eyes - blue with a long, narrow pupil. His nose and mouth were human though.

“What do you want from us?”  Kaden exclaimed. The man spit beside him and huffed.

“Shut up.” he snapped. “You have no right to be asking questions.”

Kaden opened his mouth to retaliate, but then he closed it after glancing at Axel. The vampire was in a worse condition, as he couldn’t even lift his head, and it hung forwards, as if he were dead. That wasn’t the case because Kaden could hear him breathing, but just. Water ran down his hair and back in rivulets, as he was seemingly woken up the same way.

“Do you know who I am?” Kaden started, furious, yanking hard at his invisible bindings.

The man snorted, and looked down at him, a mocking glint in his eye and a lopsided, condescending smirk on his face. “Now?” he kneeled so he was eye-level with the blonde. His eyes looked harder, any signs of empathy leaving him completely. “You are nothing, Kaden Maxwell.”

Kaden yanked harder this time at the mention of his full name, and his own voice got deep, furious, animalistic, _red._ “What do you know about me? What do you think you know about me? You know _nothing_ about me!”

The blue-skinned man grinned jokingly. “I know you call yourself Kaden Maxwell, but your original name is Matthew Joshua Maxwell. You were bitten at the age of 21. Your parents were killed by a vampire from the Crest clan, the same that bit you, and your first kill as a Downworlder. You became second-in-command to Raphael Santiago, and lover to Axel Parr -”

“Fuck off.” Kaden hissed, seething at the very fact that this man knew so much about him.

The man with the goat eyes opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped when they heard a cough beside them. Axel lifted his head slowly, and moved his lips, licking them slowly, almost ceremoniously. His eyes opened slowly, revealing a pair of tired, green eyes. “Shut up.” he murmured, almost inaudibly. “Just - shut up.”

“Oi, Blondie,” the horned man laughed. “your lover here knows how to speak.”

Kaden was about to retaliate, but he saw Axel shake his head slightly, slowly, out of the corner of his eye.

The blue skinned man walked in the space between Kaden and Axel before settling down in a crouch beside Axel’s sick arm. “Nasty injury you got,” the man said. It wasn’t pitiful, or empathetic. It was sarcastic, derisive, insulting, rude. “I’m sure that’s a real pain in the ass.” and then he proceeded to stand up and punch his injured arm, hard.

“Stop!” Kaden screamed, the sound ripping from his throat as soon as the man’s foot connected with Axel’s arm. “No! What’s wrong with you, don’t you see it hurts?! Stop, you animal!”

The man laughed and stopped slowly as Axel writhed on the floor on his side. His face was contorted in pain, eyes clenched shut and his teeth clamped down hard on his lip to stop him from screaming in agony. His injured arm seemed to pulse, the black poison in his veins taking a life of its own, seemingly throbbing. Axel shuddered.

The man with the blue skin grinned maliciously at Kaden before sending a kick at his head before it all turned black.

\--

When he awoke again, he was not bound. His arms and legs were free, and he moved them around a bit. He was in a bed, and a blanket was over him.

He blinked slowly and opened his eyes, squinting at the moonlight filtering in through the curtains. The pillow he was resting on smelled like lavender. His hair was no longer the tangled, knotted mess it was before - it was soft and shiny, and he smelled fresh, like new sheets. He was wearing a long, old fashioned white undergarment, and his clothes were folded and set on a chair, as far as he could see. 

He rolled around in bed, and then sat up. He rubbed his eyes, and proceeded to get up. He scanned the room - a chair and bookshelf to his right, the door that possibly led outside to the left, a bathtub and toilet in front of him, and a window to his back. 

He changed into his clothes, putting on his tattered old jeans first, before slipping into his shirt and hoodie. He left the sleep clothes folded neatly.   
Kaden then noticed his sword, _Silverlight_ , resting upon a shelf. It was in its sheath, now clean. It had been polished and the engraving, _'Light of the first Moon'_ was visible. He unsheathed his sword, and saw it was cleaned to a shine. The dried blood no longer stained it; instead, he could see his reflection staring back at him in the weapon. He stared in awe, twirling it around in the moonlight so it gave off a special silver glow that gave it its name. 

He slipped the sword and sheath into his belt and then opened the door. It was pitch black, but he could make out some stairs and a railway. He held on to it, the narrow passageway wide enough just so his arms could be somewhat outstretched, bent awkwardly at the middle, so with one hand he held the railway and with the other, the stone wall. 

Once he was nearing the end, a purple light shone dimly onto the stairs. He stopped, and neared one side of the wall. He put his hand on the hilt of his sword. He stepped slowly, quietly, watching the purple light get brighter. He could see he was in a kitchen of sorts, and there was someone leaning over the counter. And someone lying on the counter. 

Kaden walked faster now, steeling himself to fight whatever he'd have to face. 

"Ah, Maxwell," a voice, a woman's voice said. "you're awake." 

Kaden stopped dead in his tracks. He was confused. How did this woman know his name? 

"How do you..." he started, but then his mind drifted to different things. Axel. 

"He's fine." the woman said out loud, as if she'd read his thoughts. "At least his pain has ended." after a few seconds she added, "For now." 

"Who are you?" Kaden asked, not bothering to hide the edge in his voice. "Where am I? Where's Axel? And what do you mean, 'for now'?" 

Kaden couldn't see much from where he was standing, so he got closer. A long, blonde braid ran down the woman's back. She wore a grey dress. 

He moved to the side and saw glimpses of her face under the purple light. Some wrinkles on her face and determined, green eyes. He shifted his gaze from her to the table and immediately he recognised the worn down plaid shirt Kaden hated, and the black sneakers with the bright yellow laces he only wore because they glowed in the dark and he was mildly scared of it. 

Axel. 

He rushed forward, and saw Axel on the table. He was asleep, his chest rising and falling slightly. Purple sparks and smoke flowed from the woman's hands into Axel's body. 

"Alethis," Kaden realised, like a slap in the face. "You are Alethis." 

The woman chuckled. "Yes, I am." 

Kaden watched as she pressed her hands into his chest. His body shook and shuddered before resting once more. 

"What did you do?" Kaden asked. 

"I took away the pain." 

The blonde frowned. "So he's healed?" 

She hesitated for a moment. "...No." 

"Huh?" Kaden furrowed his eyebrows. 

"The poison is still spreading. I just made sure it doesn't hurt." she explained. 

From here, Kaden could see the details of her face: he knew she never aged, but still, the wear and tear of time was still visible on her facial features. Small wrinkles on the sides of her eyes, eyes that looked old, weary, as if the world held no secrets from them. She didn't look a day over thirty, yet not a day under two-hundred. It was an odd combination. 

Kaden then remembered the words Magnus had said. "We've been sent by Magnus Bane. He says you owe him a favour." 

"This is the favour then. He's no longer in pain." she stated. 

Kaden slammed his hand on the table. "No, you have to heal him completely!" 

She arched an eyebrow. "Oh? No one specified that. A complete heal has a price." 

Kaden doubted, his teeth worrying his lower lip. "What's the price?" 

"Will you pay anything?" Alethis inquired, leaning over the table. 

Kaden was unsettled, but went with it anyway.  He replied with a firm, "Yes." 

"The price," she started, her lips twisting into a wicked grin. "is his biggest secret." 

Kaden was taken aback, and he let his jaw go slack, his eyes widening. _"What."_

"Yes, you see, I have been living on these remote mountains for hundreds of years, so gossip is short around here." she paused to cackle before saying, "and old Anaethos there doesn't give me much conversation either." she made signs of horns on the back of her head, and Kaden felt himself anger, both by the odd request and by the memory of the man. "I do apologise for his behaviour - he has bad manners I must correct. The memory spell I placed on him is fading - the Fey have quite some resistance against spells." 

Kaden stopped listening, his world turning. Of course, he wanted Axel to get cured. He didn't have much time left, but... 

Would it be a very big invasion of privacy? What if the secret was that he was having an affair? Or that he loved someone else? 

_It turned out to be something much worse…_

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I couldn't upload sooner guys, but I'm travelling around Ireland atm, so the WiFi is limited for the most part. My mom did bring her laptop though, so here's a new chapter I managed to write completely on my phone! (which I've never done before).  
> I'm actually really proud of this chapter, because I feel like it's a lot more mature and better written than my previous chapters, tbh.  
> Anyways enjoy! I might upload the next one today, I'm not sure. (I might).  
> Love,  
> Aida :)))


	10. Love

Simon almost tripped over his own feet more than once as he followed after Raphael, running as fast as he could.

They didn't look back, running and trying to get away as fast as possible. Simon's hand gripped Raphael’s and didn't let go, letting him guide them. All they could hear was the sound of their own feet on the ground and the trees rushing past them.

Simon could not get the image out of his mind - the moment when Elliott had risen his claws above Aaron's neck. He hadn't seen the rest, as Raphael had tugged (pulled) on his hand rather insistently.

They didn't stop running until they reached a clearing of sorts, a valley with a few trees scattered along the edges and a lake in the middle.

“Raphael,” Simon started, leaning against a tree. His legs hurt. The last ray of Sun had just disappeared over the horizon, so the water was still painted a purple-blue colour. “are they still chasing us?”

Raphael shrugged and went to check at the edge of where the treeline ended.

“No. I can't smell them either. We're safe since we're surrounded by mountains.” he stated.

Simon nodded and slumped against a tree. Raphael sat beside him, and leaned on his shoulder. Simon leaned into him too, but once he smelled him -

“Raphael,” Simon's voice was a mixture of curiosity and anger.

“Yes?” the other vampire didn't seem to notice.

“Why do you smell like Elliott? Aaron smelled like him too.” Simon's voice was accusing. At the thought of Aaron, a pang of worry struck through him.

“Oh,” Raphael scratched the back of his head. “that.”

Simon furrowed his brow. _“What?”_

“He - uh -” the other vampire looked away. “- he tried to make me one of his - uh - mates, in a way?”

Simon's eyes widened. He was confused to say the least. _“And you gave in?”_

Now it was Raphael’s turn to frown. “What? No! Of course I didn't, you dumbass! _Idiota…_ ”

Simon chuckled to himself and relaxed. “Oi. The _‘idiota’_ can hear you.”

Raphael snorted. “Well tell him I think he’s a dumbass.”

Simon didn't reply, and instead rubbed his head against Raphael’s neck, snuggling into him, trying to mask the scent.

They watched the moon crawl up the sky and take its place there, beaming down on them with a white glow. The stars soon accompanied it, each with its place in the kingdom of the night.

“Hey Raphael,” Simon murmured. Neither of them wanted to sleep. Not yet. They had too many things on their minds, too much to deal with.

“Yeah?”

Simon gulped. “Do you think Aaron will be okay?”

Raphael was thankful Simon couldn't see his sad, knowing smile. “Maybe. I'm sure he's fine.”

Simon was thankful Raphael couldn't tell he didn't believe it.

That night, on Raphael’s request, they spent it gathering materials to shelter them from sunlight the day after. Though Simon was the acclaimed Daylighter, Raphael was not, and he didn't feel like burning to a crisp.

“Hey Simon, get some sleep today.” Raphael murmured once their small cottage was built, just big enough for two people to lie down in.

“Why?” Simon asked, staring at the wall.

“Because you haven't rested properly in a long time.”

Simon shook his head. Though his eyelids felt heavy, and his body ached, he couldn't sleep. It felt like an insult to Aaron's memory.

“He'd want you to be happy,” Raphael said, as if he were reading his thoughts. He wrapped his arm around Simon's waist. “so sleep.”

And finally, after a few hours of lying awake pondering about life, Simon slept.

\--

He awoke to Raphael basically shouting in his ear.

“Simon... Simon Lewis. Simon. _Simon!_ ”

The younger vampire rolled around in bed and groaned. “...what?”

“Get up.”

Simon blinked and sat up, rubbing his eyes. Raphael was outside, leaning over him. “Why?”

“Just -” Raphael paused. “- come look.”

“Fine.” Simon agreed reluctantly. He stood up and got out.

The first thing he noticed was, when he looked up, there was a full moon. The second thing was the lake. It glowed and shimmered with blue light, making it look like there was a city of light and colour down there, a stage of deep cerulean lighting.

“Raphael, look! The - the water it’s - it’s glowing!” Simon exclaimed gleefully, rushing to the edge of the lake. They had already seen how deep it was - even at the edge it reached Simon’s chest.

“I know.” Raphael replied, and followed after him.

“Let’s get in!” Simon then suggested, and without waiting to hear Raphael’s response, started taking off his clothes.

“No, wait, Simon -” the other vampire tried, but it was far too late. Simon had yelled ‘Cannon ball!” and thrown himself into the glowing water in his underwear.

Simon swore he heard the _‘Idiota…’_ Raphael hissed, but was too busy splashing around to notice.

He dove underwater, and then noticed the reason why the lake lit up blue. Glowing flowers littered the walls and bottom of the lake like stars in the night sky. Simon swam up to one and pulled it out of the water, and under the light he noticed what kind it was.

_Daemon Caeruleus._

He dove up just as Raphael was plunging in, splashing him in the face. The water wasn’t cold at all, surprisingly. Maybe it was the flowers, or the fact that he was a Supernatural being, but the water felt warm.

“Raphael,” Simon said in a low voice, twirling the flower around in his fingers. “this is the flower you wore on our wedding.”

“Yes. It grows when a demon’s blood spills on the soil. It only flowers at night, and in the full moon, it glows.” Raphael stepped closer to him, wrapping his arms around Simon from behind, hands resting on the flower. “Vampires wear it weddings because it means ‘I want you’.”

Simon then gulped, looking around him.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” Simon asked, turning around. Raphael’s body was illuminated from below, the slight movements of the water reflected on his body. His hair was a lighter shade of brown when it was wet, and now it fell in ringlets around his face. He looked a lot younger, like he was fifteen again.

“So what if I did?” Raphael asked, placing his hands on Simon’s hips. The younger shivered, the electricity already flowing between them. If Simon’s heart could beat, it would be racing now, beating hard against his ribs. “We only have three more weeks. It’s now or never.”

Simon wrapped his arms shaikly around Raphael’s neck. He wanted this, he really did, but -

“Wait.” he pushed Raphael away, shaking his head. “I can’t be doing this, not when Aaron - and Kaden and Axel -” his head ached, the emotions and contradictions swelling up in his chest.

On one hand, he felt pain and sorrow for his lost friends, for Aaron, wanting nothing more than to seek them out and make sure they were alive and well. On the other, he’d been wanting this with Raphael for quite some time, but he never knew the right time to ask, and in the middle of a forest never seemed like a good idea either.

“Simon,” Raphael put his chin between his fingers and made him look up. He brushed their lips together, and Simon felt the spark, the rush of energy that he’d felt that first time they’d kissed in that alley. “I would wait forever for you. We don’t have to do this now, I swear. But I’ll ask one more time -” the anticipation was building up in Simon’s stomach, rising up to his throat. “- forget the world with me.”

Simon had a small inner battle, but seeing him like this, seeing Raphael so keen, so needing, the lust and desire in his voice, the way their bodies were pressed together, wet, their lips almost touching but not quite - it all overwhelmed Simon and went straight to his heart.

_“Yes.”_

Raphael didn’t need more to press his lips against Simon’s and kiss him roughly, sliding his tongue between his lips and into his mouth without much resistance. He pushed him forwards until Simon’s back hit the wall of the lake, and the grass tickled his back and shoulders.

Simon felt the rush of energy flow from Raphael to him, through his body, the thrum of electricity in his bones as they kissed, as his hands carded through Raphael’s hair and his husband’s pressed into his hips with burning fingertips.

Raphael’s hands slid down, towards Simon’s boxers, and experimentally, rolled his hips. Simon gasped and pulled away, feeling his cock twitch. Raphael took the chance to kiss the corner of his mouth, his chin, his cheeks, his neck, sucking and biting on it until he reached the bite scar on the bottom of his neck, all whilst grinding against him.

He stopped moving completely and looked up at Simon with questioning eyes, teeth grazing the small, white scar. Simon nodded slightly, and that was all it took for Raphael to sink his fangs into Simon’s neck.

 _“Ah!”_ Simon’s mouth fell open, a small whimper escaping his parted lips. He felt a rush of lust and want fill him, he just wanted _more._ Gone were the doubts of earlier, gone was the insecurity from what would’ve been their first time. Now, instead of dread, he felt desire.

Once Raphael pulled away, he knew it was his turn. He crushed their mouths together and lapped up the blood still hanging on Raphael’s teeth. It was odd, to be tasting his own blood and being so turned on by it, but he didn’t care. He too rolled his hips against Raphael’s, and felt him groan into his mouth. Simon quickly pressed his lips to Raphael’s neck, leaving a few hickeys of his own. He didn’t even bother asking him - he sunk his fangs into Raphael’s neck, and the next few moments felt like pure bliss.

The blood in his mouth should have tasted metallic, like the first time he did it, but now, it tasted sweet, like nectar, the true drink of the gods. If he thought he couldn’t be more turned on, he was wrong, because now Raphael was whimpering as they grinded their clothed erections together, and Simon smirked against his skin. He pulled away after a short while though, and instead of kissing him, Raphael surprised him by putting his hands on his waist and pulling him up and out of the water.

His legs were in the lake, but his hips were not. Simon gave a small gasp, and once he realised Raphael’s intentions, clamped his legs together, ignoring the raging hard-on in his underwear.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Raphael asked with a straight face. Simon looked at him from the side, but then lulled his head to the side, so they were no longer making eye contact, embarrassed.

“I don’t...I don’t want you to see…” Simon trailed off and didn’t finish. He heard Raphael sigh, and then he felt his legs being forcefully spread apart by his strong hands.

He gasped again, and turned away, knowing trying to close his legs was not a possibility.

Raphael lifted himself up a bit, so he was on his tiptoes in the lake. He pressed his lips to Simon’s navel. “Don’t you get,” he breathed against his skin in between wet, open mouthed kisses. “that I want all of you?” Simon squirmed when Raphael traced the outline of his cock with his mouth through his boxers. “you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

The younger vampire squirmed when Raphael pulled his boxers down in one fluid motion (Harry Potter boxers, mind you) and tossed them aside.

Raphael smirked up at Simon, and without breaking eye contact, took the head of his cock in his mouth. Simon shuddered, gasped and trembled, throwing his head back in a choked moan. Having never experienced any of this, everything was exhilarating to the point where the only two words Simon felt he’d ever known were, _‘Raphael’_ and _‘more’._

Raphael licked the beads of precome dribbling out of his cock, and slowly took more in, licking and sucking and swirling his tongue around his length. Simon was already feeling wrecked and this was just the beginning. Whimpers and moans left Simon’s mouth involuntarily almost and slowly, very slowly, Simon spread his legs more, almost invitingly, previous words be damned.

Raphael took all of him in then, and Simon felt himself hitting the back of Raphael’s throat. With another shudder, he twisted his hand in Raphael’s hair and tugged, his hips jerking by themselves ever so slightly. Raphael twisted his tongue around him, pulling off every now and then to lick at the vein that ran along the underside of Simon’s cock, making the young vampire thrash around and moan helplessly at every touch, caress and lick.

One of Raphael’s hands then moved from his hip to his perineum, pressing strategically at some points to make Simon writhe in pleasure.

And then, slowly, circled one finger around Simon’s rim.

“Wait, Raphael, please.” Simon pleaded, panting. Sweat rolled down his forehead in beads, and it pooled at his collarbone. He knew this moment would have to come, but he was so _scared -_

“Calm down Simon,” Raphael assured him, squeezing his thigh encouragingly. “I promise it doesn’t hurt that much.”

“Really?” Simon knew his pain threshold was so low it was basically non-existent.

Raphael sent him an endearing gaze, and though Simon trusted him, he was still on edge. “Trust me,” he smiled, “we’ll get to the good part soon enough.”

“O - okay.” Simon mumbled. He watched as Raphael put his fingers in his mouth, watched him swirl his tongue around them like he did moments ago with his cock, and it’s absolutely enticing, sending pulses of pleasure straight to it.

Raphael pulled them out of his mouth, and agonizingly slowly, pressed one to Simon’s hole. Simon gripped the grass beside him, sinking his nails into the dirt below him in agony. _‘It doesn’t hurt that much’ my ass,_ Simon thought, feeling immense pain at the strange intrusion.

“Wait, wait, Simon, please, relax -” Raphael pleaded. Simon tried, he really did, but it was all so new, and uncomfortable, and weird.

 _“I’m trying,”_ Simon hissed, trying hard to ignore the pain. Then Raphael got and idea and moved his free hand to Simon’s cock, stroking it to try and relieve Simon’s mind of the pain.

It worked, and before long, Raphael was moving his finger inside Simon almost leisurely. His mouth worked at leaving hickeys on Simon’s inner thighs, basking in the amazing sounds escaping his husband. And then Raphael got another brilliant idea.

He moved his mouth to Simon’s hole, and without warning, started lapping at the rim, and _oh -_

The reaction from Simon was wonderful.

A string of incoherent words filled the air, something along the lines of, “Oh my - Raphael fuck - what - I -” and other similar words. The younger vampire was enjoying this thoroughly, his head thrown back and his mouth open so wide Raphael was sure he’d unhinged it somehow, or was bound to. His spine arched upwards, lifting from the ground, and his legs splashed in the water, wetting Raphael slightly.

Raphael smirked and kept at it, licking and sucking at the rim, dipping his tongue in every now and then when he pulled his finger out. And all whilst Simon moaned long and loud, not caring if anyone heard. And if someone did come, and did hear them, well they could fuck themselves, because Raphael and now and the finger in his ass and the hand on his cock were the only things that were real to him, that were _there,_ that he needed.

“I’m adding another one, okay?” Raphael asked, and Simon somehow, somewhere, found the energy and coherency to nod, and then lost it all again when Raphael pressed another finger in and hit _there,_ hit the spot from which all of Simon’s pleasure derived from, hit the spot that sent Simon reeling and his eyes rolling in the back of his head. He’d lifted himself up to look at Raphael when he nodded, but he fell back with a thud and lifted his legs with a splash, letting himself be fucked by Raphael’s fingers.

And Raphael was enjoying this too, every single sound coming out of Simon’s mouth going down to his own rock hard cock straining against his underwear. He was so hard it hurt, but he wasn’t going to move an inch, not now, when Simon was pleading and desperate, the wanton moans high and needy, his young spouse putty in his hands and completely at his mercy.

And God - to Raphael, this was rapture.

Because that’s what Simon was - he was his saviour, his church, his religion, his deity.

He was his reprieve, his redemption, his absolution and his salvation.

He was his angel of the Lord - and all he wanted to do was deconsecrate him and make him sin over and over again, wanted to tint his wings black and paint his halo red and make him _his_ again and again until all of Heaven knew who this boy belonged to.

With a shout of, “Raphael - I’m - I’m - shit - _shit -_ ” Simon came hard into Raphael’s hand, whimpering and moaning and writhing in pleasure.

Raphael grinned and slowed his fingers until they stopped completely. He pulled them out and then unwrapped his cum covered hand from Simon’s cock. He was sure to be making eye contact with Simon before he licked it all up, enjoying the bittersweet taste.

Simon was half-hard just from that, and Raphael chuckled. “Want me that bad, huh?”

The young vampire felt embarrassed again. “Shut up.” Before he could say anything else though, Raphael pulled him back into the water, pressing their lips together for what felt like an eternity. Before, they’d been able to spend days without kissing, but now, even a few minutes felt like too much.

As Raphael ran his tongue over every crevice in Simon’s mouth, Simon worked his boxers off, leaving them somewhere with his, and then began stroking him.

Raphael had gone untouched all this time, so he couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped him after he felt Simon’s cool hands on his hot length. Simon flicked the head of his cock with his thumb, and tried moving his hand as fast as he could whilst kissing him and, y’know, their hands being underwater.

“That’s enough,” Raphael groaned, and put his hands on Simon’s ass, kneading his cheeks as he drowned the small noises from Simon, indirectly telling him to spread his legs. He did that, wrapping them around Raphael’s waist, and positioning himself directly above Raphael’s cock.

“‘You okay?” Raphael asked, his expression softening. Simon gulped and nodded, the nerves and anticipation making his fingers tingle. The sound of the water splashing around them relaxed Simon somewhat, the soft kisses laid against his shoulder helping even more. He put one hand on the back of Raphael’s head, the other on his shoulder, and slowly, very slowly, he lowered himself on Raphael’s cock, not stopping until he was completely buried in him, inch by tantalizing, agonising inch.

“Oh - Raphael, it - it hurts -” Simon whined, hiding his face in Raphael’s neck, letting out small whimpers of pain. Raphael stilled all movement except the gentle strokes of Simon’s back.

“ _Relájate amor, relájate._ ” Raphael murmured. Simon wasn’t very sure of what he’d said, but he knew it was something meant to soothe him if the tone of voice was anything to go by. He bit his lip, and whispered:

“I’m sorry - it’s just that - you feel so _big -_ ” Simon didn’t mean to turn Raphael on even further, to make him so aroused that holding back now was almost impossible, every word that he whispered going straight to Raphael’s cock. Simon was being truthful, because he just felt so full, so -

_overcome._

“Raphael,” Simon whispered softly after a minute.

“Yeah?”

“C - can you move now?” he asked, and before Raphael could start moving, he added, “just please - be gentle.”

Raphael nodded, and with one small kiss on Simon’s cheek, he began thrusting.

The first few thrusts were exploratory, meant to test the waters. Raphael had to use all his self control to not thrust blindly into Simon’s tight, wet heat. Simon whimpered and rocked with him, letting his head fall back onto the edge of the lake.

The next few thrusts were a bit quicker, once he saw Simon get comfortable with the pace. It was amazing, how Simon seemed to suck him in, how he clenched around his cock at all the right times, how he ended up pulling him down so their foreheads were touching and their lips were almost touching but not.

When Raphael hit Simon’s prostate, Simon opened his mouth and let out a loud moan, one that made Raphael’s toes curl and his hands almost lose their grip from where they held Simon’s hips in place.

The fires of Hell burned behind his eyes, all blood and ashes scorching themselves into Simon’s mind and heart and soul. The lust and want and the need, the pleasure, the taste of virgin skin all made Raphael feel like unrighteousness had seeped itself into his body; under his fingernails; into his veins; right into his heart. And he wanted it all.

“ _More,_ ” Simon pleaded, his voice low and his throat raw. “faster, Raphael, harder -  _more._ ”

And who was Raphael to deny his lover’s wishes?

The fact that he was a supernatural being seemed to come to light at moments like this, when - with consent, of course (a whisper of _'Are you sure?'_ on Raphael's part and a groan of _'Yes,'_ on Simon's) - he let go completely, his hips unhindered by the water surrounding them as he pistoned into Simon with a speed before unbeknown to the young vampire. He kept hitting Simon’s spot again and again and _again,_ making Simon cry out with every thrust.

They were both sweating, and Simon was sure that he could see the steam rising around them. The fire inside Raphael sent Simon ablaze, the heat running up his veins. Where Raphael’s fingers touched, they left scorch marks, the searing temperature of combustion pooling in his groin, in the bite Mark, in his heart. Simon looked at Raphael, and saw it, saw the vast sea of flames he was, and Simon had plunged in and he was drowning.

“Raphael,” Simon moaned his name over and over like a mantra. “so good, so good Raphael - fuck - do me like that - _ah!_ ”

Simon tried his hand at dirty talk, and it worked, it actually worked, because Raphael growled, _growled,_ and just kept speeding up his thrusts, making Simon rock upwards and let his head fall back, exposing his neck, making Raphael want to bite it and mark it and suck it and leave purple bruises that would show everyone who he belonged to.

Simon clenched around him a few more times, making Raphael see white behind his eyelids.

God, he wanted this boy every which way. He wanted to take him from behind, to bite into the nape of his neck and shove his hands in his hair and worship the arch of his spine. He wanted to lie flat on his back and see Simon lower himself on his cock, wanted to see him take all of him, take everything he was given, and fuck himself like his life depended on it. He wanted to fuck this boy into oblivion and then some more. He wanted to keep thrusting blindly into him the rest of their eternal, immortal lives, he wanted to destroy Simon, make a mess of him, take him apart - build him up again with sweet words of love, and kindness - and rip him to shreds over and over and _over._

“Raphael,” Simon muttered his name over and over. “Raphael, I’m so, so close -”

“Simon, wait for me.” Raphael whispered back.

Simon loved how Raphael pronounced his name, how he slightly pronounced the last syllable more. He’d always hated it, but he loved what Raphael did to his name.

And so, Simon tried not to cum, tried to ignore the feeling of his prostate being borderline abused and his cock sliding against Raphael’s stomach, and instead, he tried clenching his hole and raking his nails down his lover’s back and whispering his name to bring him closer to the edge so they could jump together.

“Raphael - I’m - I’m - I'm gonna -”

“Me too - Simon!”

Simon could see the white, hot bliss at the bottom of the cliff, he could feel the heat rising around them, he could almost reach out and touch the flames that enveloped them, that melted them on the outside and charred them on the inside as they chased their release on chariots of fire and smoke. And whilst he felt all this - as he pulled Raphael close, through the water and the sweat - all he could smell was the familiar smell of leather and metal that impregnated and saturated their sheets back at home, the first thing he smelt in the morning and the last thing he smelt at night. _Raphael._

He didn’t even hear himself moan when he came, he barely felt Raphael cum inside, so overtaken with his orgasm that every time he moved, he shook wildly.

Raphael pulled out slowly and Simon winced at the sensation of emptiness that followed. With some remaining strength Raphael carried a half-asleep Simon out of the glowing lake and into their small cottage.

Once they were lying together, Simon mumbled sleepily, “We’re bonded now.”

“Yeah,” Raphael whispered back, moving the hair out of Simon’s face. The young vampire was smiling, a look of peace on his face. Purple bruises and bite marks littered his neck, chest, shoulders and thighs, and Raphael almost clapped himself on the back at a job well done.

“Thank you,” Simon croaked out, snuggling himself into Raphael’s arms.

Raphael waited until he was sure he was completely asleep before whispering, “No, thank _you._ ” and falling asleep immediately after, exhasuted.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This is the longest chapter in the book so far and the smuttiest thing I've ever written so I do hope you enjoy!!  
> I won't be updating again until like, next week so enjoy these two chapters!!


	11. Maroon

Kaden fervently nodded, and the warlock started the spell.

She began moving her hands, and each passing second felt eternal, every wisp of purple light and yellow sparks making the feeling of guilt inside Kaden feel heavier, as if it were stones pooling in his stomach.

A smokescreen began appearing above Axel’s resting head, who stirred a bit, but eventually relaxed once more.

The smokescreen rippled, as if it were water, and a series of images started projecting themselves on it slowly -

images that would forever burn in Kaden's mind.

Thi _s is one month ago. The clans have met, and it hasn't gone well._

_Axel knows this. A flame appears out of nowhere before Axel’s eyes, in his room. A paper falls into his hand with burnt edges._

_A fire message._

_Three short sentences Kaden can't read from this point of view, but there is one thing he can make out._

_Archard Crest’s name at the bottom._

Kaden’s stomach twisted in anger at his name, but an overwhelming feeling of dread built up in him too. What did any of this have to do with Archard?

_The smokescreen ripples once more, the image dissolves and a new one replaces it._

_Axel walks up to an old building, a skyscraper abandoned some time in the 90’s._

_He raps on the door three times, waiting a bit between the first and second knock. The door opens immediately, and a look of recognition flashes across Archard Crest’s face._

_“Cousin,” he greets, and Axel merely nods back curtly before Archard closes the door._

Kaden needed some time to process all of this, and he stumbled back, hoping this was it, and that it was going to end, but it didn't. The screen rippled once more, and the images changed again.

_A few weeks have passed. Axel is bent over a table, over a blueprint._

_There are others, and Archard Crest sits at the head of the table._

_“There are three doors: the main one, A; one on the left, B; and a third one on the right, C.”_

_“But won't they have guards stationed there?” a girl, Jade, says, from across Axel on the table. Most are standing to get a better view of the paper spread on the table. Only she and Archard Crest sit - he, because of the hierarchy; she, out of necessity. “Raphael Santiago is not stupid, neither is Kaden Maxwell.”_

_Axel frowns, frustrated. “Let me finish.”_

_She huffs and rolls her eyes, evidently understimating him. She is far older, and more experienced. “Go on then.”_

_“There is another door,” Axel continues. “one that nobody knows about. It is at the back, concealed into the bricks next to the emergency stairs. It is Door D. We will strike there.”  his voice shifts into something dark, and vengeful, and his lips twist into a smirk. “They won't know what hit them. We will win for sure.”_

Kaden couldn't register anything around him. He didn't feel cold or hot. He felt neither alive nor dead.

He felt betrayed.

His throat closed up, and swallowing became impossible. The tears prickling at his eyes flowed freely down his face. His knees suddenly couldn’t hold his weight and he sunk onto the floor.

Destroyed.

Broken.

Lost.

Alone.

He cried in silence, sobs in solitude, and brought his hands up to his eyes, to rub the tears away - to no avail. They just kept coming.

Through his sobbing he didn't see that the smokescreen had rippled once more.

_Axel is on his knees, watching Archard leave, the demon blade still lodged in his shoulder._

_“I'm sorry Kaden; I'm so, so sorry.”_

_\--_

When Axel awoke, slowly, trying to get out of the haze of unconsciousness, Kaden was stroking his hair. He blinked several times, trying to fight off the urge to fall asleep. His muscles felt stiff, but nothing hurt. His mind felt strange though - as if someone had prodded at it, tried digging around. For some reason, he felt exposed.

Kaden watched as he got up slowly, the soft, small smile plastered on his face never leaving. He watched Axel get up, and then turn to face him.

“Kaden? What’s - where am I?” he asked. Before Kaden could reply, he turned his attention to his arm. His injured arm. Where black lines once ran along and under the skin, carrying poison with them, now there was white skin, and he could move his arm once more. “My arm.” he said, awed, eyes widen. “I can move my arm - it’s healed! Kaden it’s - it’s - I - how -”

Kaden didn’t say anything. He just looked at him with glassy eyes. It took a while (a long one. Axel was ecstatic about his arm and just moved it around a lot for five minutes.) but eventually, Axel noticed him.

“Kaden, what’s up? How am I…?”

Kaden shakily took his hand. “It was Alethis. We’re in her house.”

Axel looked confused, but then he looked at Kaden’s eyes and saw the tears in them. His voice turned hard, and he gripped hard onto Kaden’s hand with both of his. “What’s wrong?”

Kaden smiled again, a sad smile. “Axel,” he started, looking down at the floor. “are you hiding anything from me?”

Axel looked taken aback, and he stammered, “N - no.”

Kaden looked up at him, the bleak smile still plastered on his face. He wanted to believe Axel was good, that he’d admit to it, or he’d tell him it wasn’t true, and that he’d made it up. “Don’t lie to me.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not lying.”

Kaden felt his heart break a little. His voice turned slightly colder. “You’re lying again, love.”

“I’m not.” Axel felt Kaden grip his hands tighter, and he just pressed even harder.

Kaden pressed so hard until he broke, inside. He pressed until the smile left his face and his voice was so cold it could turn water to ice, yet it was so hot it could melt iron. “You _are!_ You _fucking_ are! I saw it! I saw what you did Axel, Goddamnit!” the tears that were threatening to spill finally did. “I - I saw what you did, Axel.” he repeated, sobbing.

He slid to the ground, the grip he had on Axel’s hand weak.

“How - how did you see?” Axel admitted to it almost involuntarily. He swung one leg over the table and crouched down in front of Kaden.

“Alethis she - she said -” Kaden tried speaking, but the knot in his throat hurt. “It doesn’t matter. You - how could you?”

Axel reached for Kaden’s hand once more, but the blonde pulled it away. “I was full of hate. I tried to stop him, I really did -”

“How do I know that’s true?” Kaden croaked. “How can I know you’re not lying about this too?”

“You just have to trust me, love -” Axel tried getting closer, but Kaden just scooted away. And that was the moment when Axel felt the most pain, the most guilt. Not only was the man he loved pushing him away, retreating, but he looked into his eyes and saw that what once was a person full of joy and life was replaced with a broken, torn, desperate soul. It didn’t suit him. Instead of whirlpools of blue that teemed with spirit, Axel saw icy eyes like steel and grey eyes like a cloudy sky.

“Don’t call me that!” Kaden exclaimed. “Is that a lie too? Your -” he put up his hands to make quotation signs. “- ‘love’?”

“It isn’t!” Axel yelled back, almost offended. “How could you think that?”

“Because you betrayed us!” Kaden’s voice broke. “You betrayed us all! Raphael, who had his life destroyed; Simon, who can’t fight himself out of a wet paper bag; and me, who trusted you with my life. I was affected by that too!” his voice rose, and kept rising. His spirit hadn’t returned, but the steel in his eyes got sharper, his voice hotter. “Dumort was my home! It was everything I had. Raphael is my best friend, Lydia too, and Simon - he just doesn’t deserve any of this, he’s just a kid! You did this! You took our lives, Axel, in every sense of the word.”

Axel didn’t know what to say, so he just got so close to Kaden that there wasn’t any space for him to move, and stared back at him with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry - so, so sorry. I know sorry doesn’t cut it, but I tried to stop him, I really did. For you.”

Kaden’s heart would’ve skipped a beat if it could, but he tried not to get his own judgement clouded. “You can’t pull the romance on me now, Axel Parr.” He didn’t tell him that at the very bottom of his heart, he was neither angry nor disappointed. In the farthest corners of his mind, all he wished for was to put this behind him and take this man into his arms and kiss him senseless.

But he couldn’t.

Because he had a responsibility to his friends, to his clan.

“Kaden. I’m asking for forgiveness for the last time. I won’t ever ask you for it again.

“Just so you know, I feel so guilty about it. I feel like there is so much blood on my hands that I won’t get to Purgatory - I’ll just go straight to hell.”

The blonde opened his mouth to retaliate, but Axel was faster, leaning in so close he could feel the warmth of Kaden’s breaths on his lips, effectively leaving him speechless. “So I implore you - run away with me.”

Kaden was about to reply, but they both heard it at the same time. Footsteps.

“Alethis,” Kaden greeted, fake smile on again. “This is Axel Parr.”

The warlock seemed to not notice Kaden's tear stained face, and the vampire silently thanked her.

“Axel, pleased to meet you.” the woman said, and nodded curtly.

“Pleased to meet you too. And - uh - thanks for the arm.” he said awkwardly.

“It's no problem.” she replied, flashing him a smile. “Now come here. I need to show you something.”

Kaden stood up, and went over to the table in the middle of the room, standing as far away from Axel as possible.

The warlock produced a piece of paper, seemingly out of nowhere, that was burnt at the edges.

Fire message.

It read:

_Thank you,_

_Alethis._

_Now that they are in your house, I have been able to use a tracking spell. I will open a portal to my house at exactly 5:30 pm. They better jump through._

                     -  _ _Magnus Bane, High Warlock of New York__

 

“But - but wait -” Kaden said once he finished reading the letter.

“What? You're not happy you're getting out of here, boy?” Alethis asked.

“It's not that, but - what about Simon and Raphael? They're still -”

Alethis cackled. “Don't worry about them. I dug through your memories, found one of them, and used it for a spell, one that allows me to see them all the time, no matter where they are. Of course, I don't know _where_ they are exactly, just what they're doing.”

“And you didn't mention this before?” Axel slammed his hand on the table.

“What do you mean you went through my memories?” Kaden exclaimed.

“ _Calm down!_ ” the warlock exclaimed. “You,” she said, pointing at Axel. “I didn't say anything because I was waiting for Magnus Bane’s response. And you,” she turned to point at Kaden. “it was whilst you slept, and all your most private memories are intact.”

This didn't reassure Kaden much, but he didn't press further on the matter.

“Do you want to see them or not?” she asked.

Kaden nodded immediately. “Yes, please. I need to know if they're alright.”

Alethis began moving her hands once more, as if she were wearing an invisible cloth. The purple smoke turned into the surface on a mirror, and images started appearing on the surface.

_All they can see is water, but then they notice something else. The water's glowing._

_And in the gleaming water two bodies are pressed together._

_Simon's forehead is resting against Raphael’s, and their bodies are shaking, moving._

_“Kiss me.” Simon demands breathily, and Raphael smirks and gives in, pressing their lips together._

The scene cut off abruptly, and honestly, Kaden was kind of shocked. He'd never expected them to mate, at least not now - but he was happy for them. He smiled endearingly.

All of the sudden, a loud sound was heard, as if it came from some sort of hellish whip. It resonated loud in their ears, and they all winced simultaneously. In the side of the room, by the door, a transparent spiral had appeared. It gleamed and shone, even in the dark.

They all knew what it was - and without even turning to look at each other (or Alethis, for that matter) they made a run for it, and jumped.

Kaden was stuck somewhere between relief and dread. Relief because he was going back home. Fear because now, he didn’t know where he stood with Axel.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I reeeaally hope you don't hate me for this.


	12. Blush

Simon woke up first, the silver rays of moonlight lighting up the grass outside. There was no longer a full moon, so the intense light coming from the lake was no longer there. 

The lake. 

Memories began resurfacing, and Simon smiled contentedly, bringing a hand up to the conjecture of his neck and shoulder. There was a small bump where the bonding bite was, but nothing major. He then became aware of everything around him: his naked body on the bed of grass and, partially, their clothes; the arm around his waist, holding him flush to Raphael’s body; his husband’s lips grazing his neck, making the hairs on the back of his head stand up. 

He shifted, turning around to face Raphael’s sleeping face. He looked so peaceful in his sleep, all the worries, the pain, the stress and the strain disappearing. Simon ran a hand over his face, caressing it with the underside of his knuckles, letting the top of his fingers caress the soft skin below. 

Simon cuddled closer to him, burying his face in Raphael’s chest. The hand around his waist tightened, bringing him impossibly closer. Simon revelled in the feeling of Raphael’s cool skin in the warm night air. 

Raphael’s eyes flutted open, and they met Simon’s open eyes, how he looked somewhat embarrassed at the fact that the other vampire had been somewhat awake this whole time. As Simon was pulling his hand away, Raphael caught it, and put it back on his cheek, moving it down to his lips, kissing the knuckles and the tips of his fingers one by one. Simon opened his eyes (that he wasn’t aware he’d closed) just to see Raphael looking at him like he was one of the Seven Wonders of the world. 

“Good morning,” Raphael murmured in his raspy morning voice, and maybe it was the mating, but Simon felt his voice come in electric waves that went from the top of Simon’s head to the tip of his toes. It made him feel stupid, and if he could blush, he knew he would’ve looked tomato red.

Simon wanted to yell at him to stop being so cliché and so cheesy, that he should stop treating him like a princess and that he’d rather cut off his fingers than admit that he liked it, but all that came out was a low, “‘Morning.”

“What’s wrong?” Raphael asked, biting down the ‘love’ that rose from his throat to his mouth but he kept it behind his teeth, stopped it from rolling off his tongue. 

“You’re embarrassing.” Simon mumbled, turning away. 

“Hey, no,” Raphael laughed breathily. “look at me.”

“Why?” Simon asked, still refusing to look at him. 

“Because I can’t get enough of you.” that sentence sent fire into Simon’s veins once more, and the soft flames that lapped and licked at the edge of his veins began at the bite mark. “Besides, I’ve already seen all of you. There’s nothing you can surprise me with.”

“Shut up,” Simon groaned, but he did turn, though he refused to make eye contact with Raphael. 

The older vampire pressed their lips together, pulling him in by his waist, letting one hand drift to his hair, where he slowly threaded his hands through the raven tresses. 

“Raphael,” Simon whispered once they pulled away. “Morning - night - breath.”

“Simon,” Raphael chuckled. “we’re vampires, remember? We don’t  _ get  _ morning breath.”

“Oh.” Simon realised, and giggled before Raphael kissed him again. 

The kissing, the feeling of strangely warm lips on his own reminded him of the previous night, where he’d drowned in his lips, only kept on the surface by the hands holding him up and the cold water around him. 

Simon suddenly laughed, a small giggle that soon turned into a resounding laugh that surged from the bottom of his stomach, making him pull away and put his hands on his belly, clutching at it as he laughed and laughed and laughed. 

Raphael looked dumbfounded. “Simon? Why are you laughing?”

“I -” Simon tried not to laugh for a few seconds, calming himself down until he was only shaking slightly and giggling. “- I just remembered I lost my virginity in a freaking lake.” and then he was off again. 

Raphael stared at him before eventually laughing along with him. And Simon stopped, marvelled at the sound of Raphael’s laugh. It was a hearty laugh, a deep one, one that seemed to emanate straight from his heart. His eyes crinkled and his body shook, and his smile grew impossibly wide. Simon needed more. 

He wanted to drink in that sound, take a picture and keep it close to his heart and never let it go. 

“Simon, stop staring.” Raphael said after he stopped laughing. 

“I’m not.” Simon insisted. 

“You are.”

“Not.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Fuck off.” 

And Simon, for the first time in forever, initiated the kiss, pulling Raphael close and not doing a good job as they were still laughing and trying to avoid their teeth clashing. 

“Simon,” Raphael breathed his name, and it made Simon tingle. 

“Yeah?” he whispered back. 

“We should put our clothes on. We - uh - we have to go looking for Kaden and Axel.” 

Simon wanted to go, of course he did, they were his friends (at least Kaden was) - but he still felt some form of disappointment in his stomach. He wanted to stay here with Raphael forever - under the protection of the Night, who’s name they carried - and whisper dumb stuff and cheesy lines to each other, to bask in the silver light of the Moon, their only witness.

All good things come to an end though, so he sighed and nodded, picking up a shirt and putting it on, along with the jeans discarded the night before.

Once they were dressed and their hair didn’t look like a nest, they set off. Simon looked behind once more to look at the lake, trying to imagine himself there once more, to imagine himself in the water, to imagine themselves pressed so close to each other that no inch of their skin wasn’t touching. He tore his gaze away, and almost begrudgingly, followed Raphael into the treeline. 

\--

Simon had lost count of how many hours they’d been walking. He trusted Raphael knew his way around somewhat - he knew how to get to the lake - but it seemed like they were walking in circles, no matter how many times they turned to the left or the right, everything just blended into one big brown and green mush. 

“Raphael, I’m sure we’ve walked past that tree at  _ least  _ fifty times already. We’re lost, admit it.” Simon panted, sitting down against said tree. 

“What? We haven’t.” Raphael argued, but he sat down next to Simon nonetheless. 

“I’m exhausted and sleepy.” Simon admitted, resting his head on Raphael’s shoulder. 

He didn’t know where it’d come from, this need of contact, of always being around each other, connected physically as often as possible, even if it was just his head on his shoulder. He knew the mating would create a physical bond, but he wasn’t sure how  _ strong _ it was, exactly. 

He decided he’d research it as soon as they got home. 

As Simon was beginning to fall asleep, a small flame ignited in front of their eyes, A burnt paper flew out of it, and fell into Raphael’s hand. Simon lifted his head from Raphael’s shoulder to get a better look at the paper. 

 

_ We found you too, thanks to Kaden and Axel. They’re in my house right now. Stay where you are, I’ll open a portal to my apartment. See you in a few minutes.  _

  * Magnus Bane, High Warlock of New York



 

Simon grinned, eyes full of light and hope. They were finally getting out of there, out of this horrid forest, and they were going back home. Though, what  _ was  _ home now? They couldn’t go back to Dumort, and the Institute wasn’t an option. And Simon was pretty sure Magnus Bane would not tolerate four vampires in his house; neither would Alec. 

But for now, they smiled at each other and laid comfortably side by side. 

A blast of sound ripped through the air, making Simon put his hands over his ears and wince, watching as a surface of water seemingly appeared out of nowhere, reflecting the moonlight. Raphael stood up slowly, pulling Simon with him. They laced their fingers and Raphael squeezed reassuringly. He looked at Simon, a determined look in his eyes, and Simon did the same, nodding. They ran for it, and jumped. 

\--

They landed on hardwood floors, but this time, Simon didn’t fall. He stood next to Raphael, and when they saw Magnus’ surprised face when he noticed the bite marks, they pulled their hands away, looking down at the floor. 

Simon swore he saw Magnus smile, but the warlock merely approached them as the portal closed, asking them each about whether they hurt or not, injuries, etc. They said no, and Magnus lead them through his house, into the guest bedroom. 

As soon as Raphael laid his eyes on Kaden, he ran to him, and Kaden did the same, hugging him tightly, wrapping his arms around his neck, and Raphael’s around his back. 

They stayed like that for a while, and Simon suddenly felt a surge of happiness flow through him, coming from the mark. Once they pulled away, and Simon and Magnus had ‘awwed’ at them, Kaden looked up at Raphael. 

“What - what happened to you guys? After you guys got kidnapped, I wondered where you were for so long…” Kaden hugged him again, and though Raphael wasn’t someone who liked hugging  _ anyone,  _ Kaden had been his best friend for so long, he couldn’t stop himself. 

Kaden hugged Simon too, though with less force, and then whispered in his ear. 

_ “You’re so telling me about the mark later.” _

Simon gulped and Kaden laughed warmly, and Simon hadn’t realised until now how much he missed this, the closest thing to family he’d had since he turned. 

Axel stood up too. He shook hands with Raphael and awkwardly patted Simon’s shoulder. Simon smiled at him too, smiling as the happiness returned when he saw Raphael talking to Kaden and explaining everything. 

“Okay then!” Magnus clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. “Now that the family reunion is over, Raphael, Simon, go to the bathroom and take a shower. Please. You smell putrid.”

“Yeah…” Simon scratched the back of his head. 

“And then we’re going to find a way to take Dumort back. I can’t stand Archard.” Magnus grinned. 

Simon and Raphael smiled wide, as did Kaden and Axel. 

As he followed Raphael to the bathroom, he turned to look behind him and saw Kaden and Axel looking at each other. 

And their eyes were full of grief. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be fifteen chapters in this story too, and this will be the last one in this series :)  
> There is more Saphael coming after 'Red', so don't worry.


	13. Candy

“So, this is how it’s going to go:” Raphael explained. “I’ll make sure Archard is in his - my - room. Kaden, Axel, you’ll need to lock the door discreetly. Knock out the guards. Nobody gets in; nobody gets out. I’ll jump in, kill him, and be done with it. Simple, right?” 

Everyone nodded. Everyone except -

“Wait a minute!”

“Yes, Simon?”

The younger vampire crossed his arms over his chest. “What do I do?”

“Uh…” Raphael scratched the back of his head. “You can give moral support?”

Simon pressed his lips into a thin line and began tapping his foot on the floor. He raised his eyebrows, as if saying ‘Seriously?’

“You can…” and then Raphael trailed off. He couldn’t send him with Axel and Kaden, because he couldn’t  possibly fight off two of Archard’s men, even with Kaden and Axel’s help. He couldn’t send him in with Archard, because he’d definitely die. 

“Well?”

“We’ll figure something out when we get there.”

Simon didn’t seem content with that answer, but he said nothing else, so Raphael went further with explaining the plan. 

\--

_ “So I implore you - run away with me.” _

The words stuck in Kaden’s head like knives, swirling around and driving him crazy. He was so confused. 

On one hand, he couldn’t abandon Raphael and Simon. He couldn’t abandon them now, or ever, after all they’d been through. Dumort was his home. 

On the other hand, he loved Axel. He shouldn’t, not after his betrayal. But he can’t help it. And every time those words resonated in his mind, every time he remembered how Axel was looking at him when he said it, how his eyes were begging yet loving - he lost sight of himself and drowned in green seas and deep valleys. 

He was fucked. 

\--

The next night, they awoke early. Kaden slid  _ Silverlight  _ into its sheath, Simon kept his knives in his belt, and Raphael and Axel stretched and practiced with Alec’s punching bag (he didn’t officially approve, but he was asleep). 

They set off with words of luck from Magnus. The streets of New York were silent, though they made no sound as they walked. Stealthy as cats, hidden in night, watched over by the Moon, that was the vampire way. Simon was the newest to this, and though he had seen Raphael, Kaden and Axel in action before, he’d never seen them like this. They were taking back their home, and they looked more determined than ever, each of them furious, each of them deadly. Revenge and the hunger for success was their fuel, and they represented it with each step. Simon felt out of place. 

They reached Dumort, and Simon saw the look that passed each of their faces - a mix of relief and newfound willpower. Axel and Kaden turned to the right, but not before Kaden said, “Be careful. I  _ know  _ you can do it. Now go on and kick ass!” 

Raphael mumbled a, “Same to you.” and turned to the opposite direction, tugging Simon along with him. 

\--

Kaden and Axel reached the front door. 

“Just like old times, huh?” Axel muttered quietly. 

“Except we won’t be getting a warm welcome.” Kaden replied, and then jumped up, taking hold of the ledge above the doorway. He hauled himself up, reaching his hands out to hold on to the misplaced bricks. There was a window up above him, and he held onto that ledge before pulling himself up once more. Axel did the same under him, and gave him a thumbs up. Kaden kept moving. 

He then looked at the window beside him, took a deep breath to calm his nerves (again, old habits die hard) and leaped, grasping onto the bricks above the window and easily finding his feet. He peered through the window, and saw the corridor that led to Archard’s study. 

Axel glanced down at his watch, and whisper-yelled that they had five minutes left before Raphael knew he had to go in. They had to act fast. 

As expected, only two guards were at the door. As silently as possible, Kaden opened the window from the outside - the perks of living in the same place for over eighty years - and slid in. He landed silently, crouched on his hands and knees. The guards didn’t seem to have noticed him yet, so he waited for Axel to land beside him before moving. 

They stood, and with their backs pressed to opposite walls, they advanced stealthily.

Kaden drew his sword silently, and Axel rolled up his sleeves. It was odd that they hadn’t been noticed yet, but they were highly trained. Once Kaden was at arm’s length from the guard on his side, he swung  _ Silverlight _ in a quick and efficient movement, cutting the vampire’s throat before he had a chance to scream out. 

The other guard noticed, though before he could scream, Axel punched his mouth, and then held him still so Kaden could slit his throat as well. 

Kaden whispered an apology and moved the bodies to one corner. For now, there was nothing else they could do but wait. Kaden re-sheathed his sword, and leaned on the wall. 

“Kaden, I -” Axel rushed to say, but Kaden didn’t let him. 

“Shut up. Not now.” he spat. He leaned his head on the wooden wall behind him, and sighed quietly.  _ Why does life have to be so complicated?  _

“Just so you know, the offer’s still on the table.” Axel whispered, and reached for his hand. And all Kaden had to do was pull away, whisper that he didn’t want to, and then scream at him that he no longer loved him,  _ “Leave me alone!” - _ but if he did that he’d be lying to himself. So he let Axel twine their fingers together and let him lean  his head on his own shoulders and play with his blonde hair whilst he did it. 

There was a high chance they’d die tonight, and resent was not the last emotion Kaden would feel before he died. 

_ I shouldn’t love you,  _ Kaden whispered to Axel in his mind. 

_ But you do, _ his own mind replied, and Kaden almost laughed because it was as if he had his own Jiminy Cricket. 

_ One day,  _ he thought to himself,  _ one day, we’ll be safe. One day, it’ll  be okay to love you. _

\--

 

Simon and Raphael walked in silence until they reached the back of the hotel, where the emergency stairs were. Raphael looked at his watch, and knew it was time. He looked back at Simon, the wind whipping his - now longer - hair in his face, the way he looked so much older yet so vulnerable. He hated leaving him behind. 

“Raphael,” Simon called, stepping towards him. The older vampire turned around and suddenly saw himself in a tight embrace, one he returned with just as much strength. 

“Don’t - don’t die, okay?” Simon whispered into his chest, and all Raphael could do was nod. 

They pulled away, and Raphael looked into Simon’s eyes, as did Simon into his. 

It is said that only true lovers can see into each other’s souls, and if that is true: 

Raphael saw old comic books and coffee, and Simon saw starry nights in blazing flames. 

They kissed sweetly, a kiss that asked for more but they couldn’t give it, because Raphael had to part with Simon and kiss him again later. Unless - 

“Raphael,” Simon said. “take me with you.”

Raphael’s eyes widened and he frowned. “What? No.”

“Why not?” Simon asked, pushing Raphael away slightly, taking a few steps back. “It’s my home too.”

“It’s too dangerous.” Raphael said sharply, his temper already growing short.

“Why do you do this?” the younger vampire almost yelled, remembering to keep his voice down. “Why do you treat me like a - like a - like a princess! I am no damsel in distress, and I can defend myself! Well, at least most of the time.” Simon scratched the back of his neck before continuing. “The point is - just tell me why you treat me like some fragile porcelain doll!”

_ “Because I love you!”  _

And in that moment, Simon’s world stopped. Time was no longer, the Earth ceased spinning, night and day were one. The words ran from the mark on his neck to the core of Simon’s heart, resonating and echoing in his bones, sending electric shocks through his muscles, energy and heat replacing the blood in his veins. He was dumbfounded, shocked, his mouth hanging wide open and his eyes blown. 

“I - I have to go.” Raphael mumbled and spun on his heel, racing up the creaky old metal stairs, making no noise. 

_ Are you just going to watch him leave without doing anything?  _ His mind seemed to tell him. And Simon, still in a haze of some sort, ran up the stairs, jumping them two at a time, watching Raphael’s foot disappear into a window, and he went even faster, making a sharp turn at the  top of the stairs, and dove in through the window. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this!! I won't be able to write tommorrow since it's my birthday, but I do hope you enjoy this! I did :D  
> I'm sorry this was a bit shorter, but the next one will be longer, pinkie promise.


	14. Revenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're at the almost-last chapter, and I really do hope you like this! (Also, please forgive me. You'll see why...)

Simon landed awkwardly, rolling on the floor before standing up, somewhat dizzy. He’d been in this room before - it was Raphael’s study. Windows to the left, and the door to the right. In the middle, against the northmost wall there was a desk covered in papers and a small lamp, and an old wheelchair. Kaden had offered countless times to replace it, but Raphael treasured the worn leather, so it was still there. A picture hung on one wall of Madrid, and another opposite that one of New York, and that was the only decoration the room offered. The walls and floors were covered with hardwood floors. 

“Simon, are you -” Raphael’s concerns were cut short by another vampire looming over them, smirking. 

“Well, well, look what we have here. On an official visit are you? Did you miss home?” Archard laughed maliciously. Simon inched his hand towards his belt, slowly. Raphael stood tall and proud, walking towards Archard. 

“You have taken what is rightfully mine.” he said through gritted teeth, narrowing his eyes. “Now I have come to take it back.”

Archard looked down at him with pity. They were circling each other in the middle of the room, ignoring Simon, who wrapped his fingers around one of the handles of the blades. “Oh, but don’t you know, Raphael? Nothing is ‘rightfully’ yours.”

“I am not dead,” the other vampire spat. “the clan still answers to me.”

“Just. You. Try.”  Archard said, and it was like the match that lit a fuse. 

They were at each other’s throats in less than a second, clawing and biting and hissing. Simon was shocked, and didn’t know what to do. His hands trembled as he pulled out the knife, putting it behind him. He wanted to yell at them to stop, to get in there and break the fight, to stab Archard until he was barely recognizable. But he couldn’t. 

His vocal chords refused to work, his legs wouldn’t budge, his arms were frozen in place.

He watched as they rolled around, as they grunted in pain. 

Raphael grunted as Archard rolled over him, pinning him to the ground. His claws were dangerously close to his neck, and Simon got flashbacks of Aaron, of Elliott. His arms and legs responded to his brain, and everything was coming towards him until it turned into a strike of lightning, the roar of thunder in his ears resounding throughout him, a flash of light filling his vision, electricity surging through him. 

_ “Raphael!”  _ he yelled, and pulled his arm back before launching the blade forwards as it whistled through the air, flying in a straight line towards Archard’s head -

and it stopped short in the air when he caught it in mid-air. He played with it in his fingers, even as Raphael struggled against him, and then turned the blade towards Simon. He gulped. 

 

\--

 

Kaden and Axel were on their feet as soon as they heard the crash inside, the grunts and groans and the sound of boots scratching wood. 

The scream of Raphael’s name made them really get on edge, Kaden already reaching for  _ Silverlight,  _ turning to go into the into the room before Axel pulled him back. 

“Get off me!” he exclaimed, until Axel signalled him to keep his voice down.

“We can’t go in,” Axel said, tugging harder on his sleeve. “we have to guard the door from the outside, remember?”

Kaden frowned at the fact that Axel is right, but he turned around, trying to ignore what was going on in the room. 

They stood in silence, watching for any shadows in the dark. Until they heard something move. 

With one look towards each other, they stepped forwards. The narrow hall didn’t give them enough space to move, but they pressed against the walls slightly and moved in silence, Kaden drawing his sword in a single, silent move. 

Axel holds his hand out, as if to say, “Stop.”, and Kaden pauses, eyes narrowed and vigilant,  _ Silverlight  _ held out in front of him. 

All of the sudden, in the dark, someone moved towards them, and Axel had barely any time to react before Kaden was there, with his sword, slashing in the dark, blood spilling over the walls and floor. 

“Who was it?” Axel asked. Kaden shook his head and gave himself two seconds to feel sorry, to lament the loss for this nameless, faceless person before going back to his original fighting stance. 

Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the dark. “Maxwell.”

“Lydia?” he said back, her voice ringing in his ears. He could feel her presence, but he knew she wasn’t alone - at least twenty other vampires were there too. 

“I see you still carry around that demonic sword of yours.” she observed, her voice sarcastic, a hollow shell of what it once was, at least to Kaden. 

“I see you still can’t fight me yourself.” he said bitterly. 

“I wanted to test the waters, see how skilled you are. Parr is still as useless as ever.” she laughed maniacally, and Kaden winced, glad she wasn’t able to see him well in the dark.

“So you send someone alone?” he asked, tightening his grip on  _ Silverlight,  _ feeling Axel tense up beside him. 

“Don’t question me.” her voice turned hard. 

“What do you want?” Axel asked, taking a step forward. 

“We want to know whether he’s back, for real.” another voice intervened, one Kaden didn’t recognize. 

“No way.” the blonde spat at them, and then put his sword up slightly, so that it gleamed in the little light that shone in from the end of the corridor, where the door was open slightly ajar.

“We’re stronger than you.” Lydia threatened. 

“We’re not scared.” Kaden said, trying to convince himself more than anything.

“Prove it.”

 

\--

 

Simon dodged just as the knife passed by his neck, the blade grazing his skin and impaling itself in the wall behind him. 

“You’re good.” Archard commented, lips curling into a twisted grin. “But I’m better.”

Simon didn’t reply, merely gulped. Raphael took advantage of Archard’s distraction to kick him in the groin. The older man put his hands up, holding his groin, bending backwards in pain. Raphael kicked again, and this time Archard rolled to the side, falling to the floor. 

Raphael would probably regret this sometime in the near future, but instead of focusing on Archard, he scrambled to his feet, turning around and running for Simon. 

“Simon, are you alright?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. He knew he was exposing his weakness once more, he knew that caring about Simon’s well being so openly would make a great tool for Archard to use against him, but he didn’t care. Instead, he pressed a quick kiss to Simon’s temple. Simon nodded that he was alright. 

Raphael turned just in time to see Archard walking towards him almost menacingly. The vampire turned his head quickly to Simon and made out a word silently, with his lips. 

‘Knife.’

Simon slipped his second demon blade out of his belt, and then passed it to Raphael behind his back. Raphael gripped it, and Simon’s hand as well, squeezing tightly. Simon didn’t know whether it was intentional. 

It was. 

Raphael swung with the knife to his right, almost catching Archard’s neck. The older vampire stepped back. Raphael swung again, and missed by a lot. 

Archard swung a kick to Raphael’s side, and hit him, sending him across the room, slamming him into the wall. Raphael grunted, and rolled to the side, finding his feet quickly, passing the blade from one hand to the other. He ran, and jumped onto Archard’s back. Archard immediately spun, moving his neck out of the way, and then hit his back against a wall, making Raphael groan and let go as pain exploded from his spine. Raphael slid to the ground, the hand that held the knife, limp.

Archard easily took it out of his grasp with a sarcastic, “Thank you very much.”, and then turned to Simon. 

He cowered back, petrified. 

 

\--

 

Kaden jumped up as another vampire lunged towards him. He launched upwards and turned in mid-air, facing down and slicing the vampire’s head open in half just before landing. 

He landed in a crouched position, and turned at lightning speed, just in time to dodge a kick sent his way. He stood up, and with his long nails, sliced the vampire’s throat. Her corpse landed amongst the other ones. 

The fact that the corridor was narrow now seemed to be an advantage. The massive number of vampires couldn’t circle them, couldn’t press in on them all at once, so they had to go one by one. And that was their mistake. 

Kaden looked out the corner of his eye to his right just in time to see Axel pick a man up by his neck and slam him against the wall, a drop of blood trickling down the wall. His corpse slid to the floor. 

Kaden was getting tired, his stamina slowly decreasing, but he pressed on, slicing left and right, jumping and turning. 

Finally, Lydia moved in on him. She smirked sadistically. 

“Prepared to say goodbye to lover-boy over there?” She laughed. Kaden stared. 

“Fuck off.”

She ran at lightning speed, and Kaden barely had time to move to the side, catching her leg with his sword _.  _

She groaned and put her hand on her leg, where the clothes were torn, and brought it up to her face. Blood gleamed in the dim light. She yelled and ran again. 

This time, Kaden anticipated the attack, and jumped easily to his left, his legs crouched against the wall. 

For a few milliseconds, he thought, and pondered, and stared down at what Archard had turned his friends into, he thought about how he’d lost his home once, and how he was fighting for his life against his family. With tears in his eyes, he sprung. 

Kaden rained down his wrath, his frustration and his fury on Lydia, and brought  _ Silverlight  _ down with full force on her neck, slicing her head clean off her shoulders.

 

\--

 

Simon’s body trembled, glancing at Raphael. His eyes were angry, pleading and desperate, trying to get up, but unable to. Simon tore his gaze away from his husband and concentrated fully on Archard. 

The older vampire looked terrifying, blood on his face and a purple eye. He shrunk back even further, until his back was against the wall. 

“I’m going to have to break your favourite toy now, Santiago. I’d apologise, but this is just too damn funny.”

Simon made no facial expressions, trying to not get sidetracked from his goal of not dying that night. When Archard brought the knife down, Simon moved to the side, pulling the blade from the wall. He was leaning on one knee, hands on the floor, the other leg stretched out to the side. He watched with wide eyes as Archard delivered another blow, this one stronger than the last, making the wood of the floorboards crack and fly up. Simon moved to the side just in time, rushing to jump onto the desk. 

Archard sniggered, and kicked the desk so hard it flew backwards, Simon jumping up just in time before landing awkwardly. Papers flew everywhere, along with two lamps and a book. The older vampire sent a kick his way, but Simon dodged it and then drove the blade through his leg. 

Archard screamed and fell to one knee. Simon then took this opportunity to take the blade out of his hand and slide it towards Raphael. 

Archard was furious, eyes blazing. “You brat!” He punched an unsuspecting Simon in the nose, making him reel back as blood flowed down his lips and into his mouth. 

When Archard looked towards the wall, Raphael was no longer there. He turned around, trying not to move his leg. 

Suddenly, a hand was threaded in his hair, yanking on it, pulling his head up roughly. 

“Wha - what -” Archard tried moving his arms, but Simon was there already, ignoring his (probably) broken nose and digging his knife into each of Archard’s arms. 

“Why are you doing this?” Archard asked, grunting. “I didn’t kill you.”

Raphael’s eyes were something else, something that Simon had never seen before. They were so cold they could turn water to ice, so filled with ire that they could burn the whole place to the ground, and filled with such a steely determination they could cut through diamonds. When he spoke, it was like he was a completely different person, yet an embodiment of all he was. 

“Because I am the fire of revenge.

“Now  _ burn. _ ”

And he plunged the demon blade into his stomach. 

Simon watched as his body convulsed and his eyes filled with fear and surprise, and he watched as the light left his eyes. 

Raphael pulled the knife out and tossed it aside, letting Archard’s body hit the floor. 

“Simon,” Raphael said after a few minutes of silence, in which they tried to take everything in. “we did it.”

Simon, suddenly filled with a new confidence, stood up to match Raphael (except he was still shorter). The words tumbled out of his lips before he could stop them. “I love you too.”

Raphael looked shocked and confused as an array of emotions flashed on his face. Simon’s teeth worried at his bottom lip. Raphael laughed lightly and put an arm around the small of his back, pulling him up to kiss him. 

Simon kissed back, laughing breathily as he pulled away, smiling, resting his forehead on Raphael’s. 

They felt loved for the first time in forever, and they would hold onto that feeling for many years to come. 

 

\--

 

When everything was done - the vampires rounded up and told that Raphael was their leader once more, the bodies disposed of, and the hotel cleaned up - Simon realised something. 

“Raphael,” he asked as he finished sweeping up. “where’s Axel? And Kaden?”

“I don’t know.” Raphael said, and they both thought for a long while before realizing there was only one room they hadn’t checked - Kaden’s.

They rushed into it, but found nothing. The bed was empty, and so was the bathroom. All they found was a note on the inside of the door. 

Raphael read over it, and Simon watched as his face fell little by little, as his eyes got glassy with tears. He practically caught Raphael as he fell to his knees, and held the note in his grip, held it so tight he was going to rip the paper. Simon then, slowly, pried the note away from his fingers as Raphael sobbed and sniffled into his shoulder. 

The young vampire read it, and then dropped it to the floor, wrapping his arms around Raphael as he leaned his on his husband’s, rocking them back and forth on the floor. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, Raphael. More likely than not, by the time you read this, I'll be long gone.   
> I've decided to leave for a while. It maybe a month or the next century, I'm not sure. I needed a life away from this, I wanted to think about things. I feel like I need to start again for a bit, begin anew with Axel.   
> He was the one who showed Archard door D, by the way. I know you most likely want to call me a traitor, and if you do, I won't blame you. Love blinded me, and I don't deny it or regret it. I just ask of you that you remember me as your best friend, as your brother.   
> I have been by your side for the last century or so, and I don't want you to forget that.   
> I won't.   
> I will forever treasure Dumort as my true home, and you will forever be part of my family, and I swear on Silverlight, I will come back.   
> For now, have this note as a reminder of me, and take my name into your memory with you.   
> Love,   
> Kaden Maxwell.


	15. Fire

**_50 years later_ **

 

“Raphael!” Simon exclaimed, laughing. “It's too early. And I'm old.” 

The other vampire laughed heartily, pulling away. “You're not old.”

“I’m sixty-six years old. I'm old as fu-”

_ “Language.” _ Raphael interrupted. “See? I still treat you like you're sixteen. Well, you definitely look the part.” 

“I don't  _ feel  _ sixteen, Raphael.” he paused for a second. “I don't feel sixty-six either. It's kind of an in-between feeling.”

“You'll get used to it, trust me.” Raphael replied with an easy smile. He kissed Simon's temple. “Tell me, birthday boy,” he asked. “what do you want for your birthday?” 

“A jetpack?”

“Nope.”

“A cat?”

“Not possible.”

“Manga?”

“I don't know what that is.”

“Hmmm…” Simon smirked. “You.”

“That,” Raphael laughed, “I can do.”

They kissed once, twice, and then lost themselves in each other for a few hours.

 

\--

 

Simon rushed to the room, not even knocking on the door. He sat down beside Raphael, at the head of the table, as judging eyes stared at him. He ignored them. 

“So, as to our departure to Idris next week…” 

Simon straightened his hair out, panting. Since he started having to attend these meetings, he hasn't been on time once. And it's been forty-nine years of them.

He wasn’t his second-in-command. At least not officially. Though Raphael asked, Simon said no, feeling like it wasn’t  _ his  _ place. Dumort was his home, but he didn’t fit in that position. It wasn’t right. 

Raphael got better, slowly. Simon knew he wasn’t as well as he claimed he was, and he knew his husband dreamed of better times, of gold hair and laughter, of friendship and trust. Simon couldn’t give that to him. Yes, they were friends, and they couldn’t be happier with each other, but it wasn’t the same - to Raphael, Simon was every star in the sky, the other half he needed to complete him, confessions of love whispered in a closed space between them, his one and only. It wasn’t the same kind of friendship, not really, and Simon knew that. He wasn’t jealous, just sad that he couldn’t give that to Raphael. Though slowly, they learned to live without it. 

 

\--

 

“Clary! How are you?” Simon asked over the phone, cheerful. 

“Great! Old.” she said. Though Shadowhunters aged at a slower rate than mundanes, they could still feel age. 

“You don’t even have wrinkles! Or not that many, at least.” Simon replied. 

Clary scoffed. “You surely don’t have any.”

Simon snapped his fingers, though he knew she couldn’t see it. “And I ain’t gettin’ any.”

“You can kindly piss off now, thanks.” Clary laughed, still the same bright and cheerful sound from so many years ago. 

“So, how have you and Jace been…” Simon started. 

Clary had chosen Jace over Isabelle. It wouldn’t have worked out anyway, according to Isabelle, the exact words she’d said into Simon’s chest as she cried her heart out. It was the only time Simon had seen her that fragile. When she was heartbroken. 

She’d asked to be relocated, and she was currently living in the Los Angeles Institute, at arm’s length from home, just far enough to not have to see them, close enough to not miss them too dearly. 

“How’s Raphael?” Clary asked. Simon was somewhat startled - she didn’t ask about him much. Or ever, to be exact. 

“He’s - uh - he’s great. Why are you asking?” Simon stuttered. 

“No reason. And how’s little Kaden?”

“I’d say he’s growing, but he’s not.”

“Ha-ha, very funny.”

Vampires couldn’t have children, for their bodies stopped being fertile after death. Plus Raphael and Simon were both men, so that wouldn’t have worked anyway. 

It was no secret that Simon had always wanted children, a family to take care of. It hadn’t given them much grief, though - Raphael acknowledged it, but seeing as he couldn’t do anything about it, they let the subject slide. Until a few years ago. 

A boy, maybe eleven or twelve years old, had stumbled into the Dumort one night, with no recollection of his past life, and a thirst for blood he did not comprehend. Raphael took him in, surprisingly, since no one would have been able to guess that he had a fondness for kids. 

They let him drink blood and they let him rest. Since he had no recollection of a life before transforming, and they didn’t know either, Simon and Raphael took him in. They named him ‘Kaden Parr Santiago’ and raised him as though they were his parents. The Council was a bit...weirded out, but they said nothing. 

They were happy, and that’s what mattered. 

“Hey Clary, I’m going to have to call you back, okay?” Simon said, watching his husband and son from their room window. 

“Duty calls?” she asked, laughing. 

“Exactly.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too, Clary.”

He rushed down the stairs and out the front door, ignoring the strange looks he was receiving. 

“Raphael Santiago!” Simon called, narrowing his eyes into slits. He’d learned how to make Raphael tremble at his voice, and he had him wrapped around his finger. Somewhat.

“Hi dad!” Little Kaden exclaimed upon seeing his father, waving at him. 

“Hi Kaden. Could I have a word with your father for a minute?” Simon smiled sweetly, and the boy nodded and hopped off the motorbike, standing outside the Dumort, playing with some ants on the concrete. 

“Why, on Earth, are you taking our son on your vampire motorbike?” Simon asked, and Raphael laughed. 

“Relax, Simon. We used to do this a lot, remember? I just wanna take Little Kaden around for a bit…” Raphael said, and without further explanation, pulled Simon down onto the bike with him, so they were facing each other, Simon in Raphael’s lap. 

“What - Raphael?” 

And though Simon liked thinking he had Raphael wrapped around his finger, he didn’t, because Raphael was always thinking ahead, surprising him. 

Raphael now stared at him, looking up at him in adoration. He was no longer the clumsy, stuttering, stumbling, unknowing teenager from so long ago. He had matured, grown, learnt, fought and loved, turning into this man that Raphael loved with all he had to offer. Simon was still slight, his hips fitting perfectly under Raphael’s hands, his arms still shaky as they wrapped around Raphael’s neck, his laugh still young and vibrant, his eyes still the same. 

“Not in front of the kid,” Simon whispered, giggling as always. 

“The kid isn’t looking.” Raphael muttered, glancing over to the small blonde watching ants travel up and over his fingers, and then pulled Simon down into him, kissing him deeply, their hands finding purchase on each other, Raphael’s lips travelling from his lips to his neck and collarbone and then back up to his lips. 

“Ew, gross!” Little Kaden exclaimed, and the two adults jumped back from each other. They looked at each other in surprise, with wide eyes, like a deer caught in headlights. “The stupid ant bit me.”

Simon sighed in relief, and then jumped off the bike, smiling kindly at their son currently stepping over to the vehicle. Raphael pointed to his crotch and then at Simon, and frowned. Simon only laughed. 

“Papa! Are we going now?” Little Kaden asked, and got on the bike behind Raphael. Simon stepped over to kiss Raphael on the cheek, winking at him. Raphael frowned. 

“Hold on tight, Kaden.” Raphael said, turning the engine on, the motorbike coming to life. 

“Be careful.” Simon pressed a kiss to the top of Little Kaden’s head. 

“You and I need to talk when I get back.” Raphael warned, but it wasn’t serious. 

“Love you!” Simon waved, and then they were off, his husband and his son, into the night. 

 

\--

 

The ride did not last long, maybe half an hour at most. When they stopped at a traffic light, Raphael’s phone rung. 

“Simon? What’s up?” Simon rarely called, and less when he knew they were out on the bike. 

“It’s urgent. You  _ need  _ to come back to Dumort.” Simon explained, and Raphael picked up on his flustered tone of voice, like he was rushing his words. 

“What happened?” Raphael was concerned. 

“I can’t explain - you need to come back. Quickly.”

“I’m on my way.” Raphael said and hung up. “I’m sorry kiddo, but we have to go back.” and with one last look behind him to make sure his son is safe, he spoke his warning - “Hold on tight.” -  and took off, gearing the motorbike into top speed, zooming past buildings and through alleys, making sharp turns and jumping over a trashcan once, when a ramp was on it. 

He would’ve been having fun if it weren’t for the gnawing feeling at the pit of his stomach. 

When he reached Dumort, the tires screeched as the bike stopped abruptly. 

Little Kaden jumped off the bike along with his father, and then took his hand, sensing the vampire’s uneasiness. 

“Are you very worried, papa?” the blonde boy asked, and it made Raphael’s heart soar, the way his adopted son held onto him with trembling fingers. He squeezed, walking into the eerily quiet Dumort, looking down at his son as he opened the door.

When he looked up, he felt like he’d just been punched in the stomach, his guts coiling and twisting, his world freezing, his head spinning. 

For beside his husband, there sat a man with green eyes like valleys and raven tresses like damp earth, a small mark at the conjuncture of his neck. And beside him, sat two eyes as blue as the sea and the sky, hair as gold as morning sun, and a voice like a rushing river. 

“Hello, Raphael.” said Kaden Maxwell, smiling brightly, lighting up the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, so...this has been an interesting journey. I have written so much, and spent so much time on this, I've never invested myself in a fanfiction as much as I have done here. The plot may seem loose, baseless, but it's not, I swear. I started writing romantic fics when I was twelve, and they were absolute shit. If twelve year old me could read this, she'd be impressed. This has been one hell of a fanfic, if I may say so myself, but all good things must come to an end.  
> To be honest, I never really shipped Saphael, but as soon as I put my fingers to the keys thinking "I could give this a shot." the words just came out by themselves. Never have I written such complex OC's. I used to write Mary Sues, which isn't too good, but I have fallen in love with Kaden, Axel, Aaron and even Archard and Elliott. But now we must say goodbye...  
> Or must we?  
> I will be releasing one more chapter, so this isn't goodbye. It won't be Saphael centric, and that's all I can say...  
> But for now, I wish you the best, and don't worry, more Saphael stories are to come.  
> Fair Winds and Following Seas.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So this is the sequel to Blue, I hope you like it! It has a more twisting plot, since now you've been introduced to the main characters.  
> Please enjoy!


End file.
